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Quintana tests Froome as Geschke wins

Pra-Loup - Nairo Quintana repeatedly tested Tour de France leader Chris Froome as German Simon Geschke won Wednesday's 161km 17th stage from Digne-les-Bains to Pra Loup.

Quintana first accelerated inside the opening 50km, again on the imposing Col d'Allos and then had two more goes on the final 6.2km climb to the finish.

"It was a very positive day," said the 25-year-old Colombian.

"I attacked to see how he (Froome) was feeling. He seemed to be feeling good so we'll keep trying."

Froome responded every time and crossed the line just behind the Colombian to keep his 3:10 lead in the race for the yellow jersey.

"I was definitely pushed to my limits today with all those attacks and we can definitely expect more of that over the next three days," said the race leader.

However, it was a disastrous day for some of their rivals on the 2015 Tour's first Alpine stage.

Tejay Van Garderen, who started the day third, quit the race with 70km remaining following an illness that had seen him dropped by the peloton.

Alberto Contador, who was virtually up to fourth at that stage, crashed on the 15.9km descent off the Col d'Allos ahead of the final climb and lost 2:17 to Froome.

He also ended the day fifth as Froome's Sky team-mate Geraint Thomas overtook him by 6 seconds in the overall standings.

Spaniard Alejandro Valverde is up to third, although he dropped 7 seconds in the final 500m and now sits at 4:09.

Reigning champion Vincenzo Nibali continued to improve and is now seventh, just 25 seconds behind sixth-placed Robert Gesink.

Having suffered terribly in the Pyrenees, he kept up with the overall contenders until the final 500m where he lost 15 seconds.

He is 1:30 back from Thomas in fourth and can realistically aim to overtake the Welshman with three more Alpine stages to come.

But all that was happening a long way behind Geschke, who was part of an initial 28-man breakaway.

The 29-year-old attacked solo inside the final 50km and was never caught.

"It was incredible it worked out, I still can't believe it actually," said Geschke.

American Andrew Talansky crossed the line second at 32 seconds with Colombia's Rigoberto Uran third at 1:01.

There could have been a different result but for Frenchman Thibaut Pinot crashing on the final descent.

The 25-year-old was second at the time and chasing Geschke.

Although he was still second after remounting, he'd lost his confidence and had also given up four places by the time he reached the foot of the long and tricky descent.

Unable to make up the time he'd lost, he finished fourth at 1:36.

After a fierce start to the day's racing, it took 60km for a breakaway to stick and when it did, it contained 28 riders.

Most surprising, though, was the presence of two of Froome's Sky team-mates, including Australian Richie Porte.

The Tasmanian later waited for Froome to help his team leader up to the top of Allos, although his influence was short-lived.

By the time the break formed, Van Garderen was already in trouble and lost two minutes to the peloton.

Although his BMC team helped him regain contact, an acceleration from Contador saw him distanced once and for all.

With 70km left he climbed off his bike - his Tour over, as was that of world champion Michal Kwiatkowski 35km later.

Geschke attacked from the breakaway group with the imposing Col d'Allos looming and Pinot counter-attacked 4km from its summit.

Nibali's Astana team took up peloton pace-setting duties and when the Italian himself burst away, only Froome, Quintana, Valverde and Contador could follow.

But once over the top and onto the tough descent of Allos, Contador crashed, losing contact with the other overall contenders.

Results after the 17th stage of Tour de France a 161km ride from Digne-Les-Bains to Pra-Loup on Wednesday:

1. Simon Geschke (GER/GIA) 4hr 12min 17sec
2. Andrew Talansky (USA/CAN) at 0:32sec
3. Rigoberto Uran (COL/ETI) 1min 01sec
4. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/FDJ) 1:36.
5. Mathias Frank (SUI/IAM) 1:40.
6. Steven Kruijswijk (NED/LNL) 2:27.
7. Nicolas Roche (IRL/SKY) 3:02.
8. Jonathan Castroviejo (ESP/MOV) 3:04.
9. Serge Pauwels (BEL/MTN) 3:05.
10. Adam Yates (GBR/ORI) 3:21.
11. Jan Bakelants (BEL/ALM) 4:26.
12. Daniel Teklehaymanot (ERI/MTN) 4:50.
13. Rafal Majka (POL/TIN) 4:54.
14. Merhawi Kudus (ERI/MTN) 5:55.
15. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN/CAN) 5:58.
16. Mickal Cherel (FRA/ALM) 6:06.
17. Perrig Quemeneur (FRA/EUC) 6:55.
18. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) 7:16.
19. Rafael Valls (ESP/LAM) 7:16.
20. Chris Froome (GBR/SKY) 7:16.
21. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/MOV) 7:23.
22. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/AST) 7:31.
23. Tanel Kangert (EST/AST) 7:52.
24. Geraint Thomas (GBR/SKY) 8:18.
25. Robert Gesink (NED/LNL) 8:32.
26. Jan Brta (CZE/BOA) 8:47.
27. Brice Feillu (FRA/BSE) 9:12.
28. Richie Porte (AUS/SKY) 9:12.
29. Gorka Izagirre (ESP/MOV) 9:21.
30. Warren Barguil (FRA/GIA) 9:21.
31. Alberto Contador (ESP/TIN) 9:33.
32. Samuel Sanchez (ESP/BMC) 9:50.
33. Pierre Rolland (FRA/EUC) 9:58.
34. Bob Jungels (LUX/TRE) 10:10.
35. Bauke Mollema (NED/TRE) 10:10.
36. Romain Bardet (FRA/ALM) 10:10.
37. Jos Herrada (ESP/MOV) 11:00.
38. Jarlinson Pantano (COL/IAM) 11:26.
39. Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA/MTN) 11:26.
40. Romain Sicard (FRA/EUC) 12:11.
41. Roman Kreuziger (CZE/TIN) 12:16.
42. Wout Poels (NED/SKY) 12:27.
43. Michele Scarponi (ITA/AST) 12:40.
44. Nicolas Edet (FRA/COF) 13:07.
45. Alexis Vuillermoz (FRA/ALM) 13:18.
46. Michael Rogers (AUS/TIN) 13:18.
47. Christophe Riblon (FRA/ALM) 14:42.
48. Stef Clement (NED/IAM) 14:56.
49. Daniel Navarro (ESP/COF) 14:56.
50. Rubn Plaza (ESP/LAM) 15:26.
51. Alberto Losada (ESP/KAT) 15:26.
52. Adriano Malori (ITA/MOV) 15:26.
53. Kristijan Durasek (CRO/LAM) 15:26.
54. Tony Gallopin (FRA/LOT) 15:26.
55. Nlson Oliveira (POR/LAM) 15:40.
56. Lars Ytting Bak (DEN/LOT) 15:47.
57. Michael Schr (SUI/BMC) 16:13.
58. Damiano Caruso (ITA/BMC) 17:47.
59. Jakob Diemer Fuglsang (DEN/AST) 17:47.
60. Emanuel Buchmann (GER/BOA) 18:03.
61. Adam Hansen (AUS/LOT) 18:03.
62. Marcel Wyss (SUI/IAM) 18:03.
63. Thomas De Gendt (BEL/LOT) 21:05.
64. Bram Tankink (NED/LNL) 21:05.
65. Pierrick Fedrigo (FRA/BSE) 21:05.
66. Haimar Zubeldia (ESP/TRE) 21:05.
67. Cyril Gautier (FRA/EUC) 21:05.
68. Florian Vachon (FRA/BSE) 21:05.
69. Martin Elmiger (SUI/IAM) 21:05.
70. Tylan van Baarle (NED/CAN) 21:05.
71. Matthieu Ladagnous (FRA/FDJ) 21:05.
72. Paul Martens (GER/LNL) 21:05.
73. Andriy Grivko (UKR/AST) 21:05.
74. Reto Hollenstein (SUI/IAM) 21:05.
75. John Degenkolb (GER/GIA) 21:05.
76. Winner Anacona (COL/MOV) 21:05.
77. Albert Timmer (NED/GIA) 21:05.
78. Georg Preidler (AUT/GIA) 21:05.
79. Gregory Rast (SUI/TRE) 21:05.
80. Julian Arredondo (COL/TRE) 21:05.
81. Koen de Kort (NED/GIA) 21:05.
82. Daniel Martin (IRL/CAN) 21:05.
83. Danilo Wyss (SUI/BMC) 21:05.
84. Imanol Erviti (ESP/MOV) 21:05.
85. Tiago Machado (POR/KAT) 21:05.
86. Matteo Tosatto (ITA/TIN) 21:05.
87. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) 21:05.
88. Jeremy Roy (FRA/FDJ) 21:05.
89. Lieuwe Westra (NED/AST) 21:05.
90. Angelo Tulik (FRA/EUC) 21:05.
91. Peter Sagan (SVK/TIN) 21:05.
92. Leopold Knig (CZE/SKY) 21:32.
93. Kristjan Koren (SLO/CAN) 22:13.
94. Giampaolo Caruso (ITA/KAT) 22:13.
95. Jean Christophe Peraud (FRA/ALM) 22:13.
96. Luis ngel Mat (ESP/COF) 22:13.
97. Matteo Bono (ITA/LAM) 22:13.
98. Rohan Dennis (AUS/BMC) 22:13.
99. Michael Andersen (DEN/TIN) 22:13.
100. Roy Curvers (NED/GIA) 22:13.
101. Daniel Oss (ITA/BMC) 23:46.
102. Benot Vaugrenard (FRA/FDJ) 24:34.
103. Markel Irizar (ESP/TRE) 25:29.
104. Bryan Naulleau (FRA/EUC) 25:29.
105. Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA/MTN) 25:29.
106. Luke Rowe (GBR/SKY) 25:29.
107. Damien Gaudin (FRA/ALM) 25:29.
108. Dmitriy Gruzdev (KAZ/AST) 26:08.
109. Anthony Delaplace (FRA/BSE) 27:35.
110. Armindo Fonseca (FRA/BSE) 27:35.
111. Thomas Voeckler (FRA/EUC) 27:35.
112. Julien Simon (FRA/COF) 27:35.
113. Yohann Gene (FRA/EUC) 27:35.
114. Frdric Brun (FRA/BSE) 27:35.
115. Pierre-Luc Perichon (FRA/BSE) 27:35.
116. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/IAM) 29:54.
117. Filippo Pozzato (ITA/LAM) 29:54.
118. Zdenek Stybar (CZE/ETI) 29:54.
119. Matteo Trentin (ITA/ETI) 29:54.
120. Michael Matthews (AUS/ORI) 29:54.
121. Alexandre Geniez (FRA/FDJ) 29:54.
122. Jos Serpa Perez (COL/LAM) 29:54.
122. Davide Cimolai (ITA/LAM) 29:54.
124. Florian Snchal (FRA/COF) 29:54.
125. Kenneth Vanbilsen (BEL/COF) 29:54.
126. Geoffrey Soupe (FRA/COF) 29:54.
127. Stijn Devolder (BEL/TRE) 29:54.
128. Sebastien Chavanel (FRA/FDJ) 29:54.
129. Tyler Farrar (USA/MTN) 29:54.
130. Arnaud Gerard (FRA/BSE) 29:54.
131. Paul Voss (GER/BOA) 29:54.
132. Mark Cavendish (GBR/ETI) 29:54.
133. Bryan Coquard (FRA/EUC) 29:54.
134. Michal Golas (POL/ETI) 29:54.
135. Jos Mendes (POR/BOA) 29:54.
136. Mark Renshaw (AUS/ETI) 29:54.
137. Wilco Kelderman (NED/LNL) 29:54.
138. Bartosz Huzarski (POL/BOA) 29:54.
139. Jens Debusschere (BEL/LOT) 29:54.
140. Ramunas Navardauskas (LTU/CAN) 29:54.
141. Sep Vanmarcke (BEL/LNL) 29:54.
142. Luke Durbridge (AUS/ORI) 29:54.
143. Tom Leezer (NED/LNL) 29:54.
144. Manuel Quinziato (ITA/BMC) 29:54.
145. Christophe Laporte (FRA/COF) 29:54.
146. Jacopo Guarnieri (ITA/KAT) 29:54.
147. Julien Vermote (BEL/ETI) 29:54.
148. Jos van Emden (NED/LNL) 29:54.
149. Andr Greipel (GER/LOT) 29:54.
150. Matthias Brandle (AUT/IAM) 29:54.
151. Marcel Sieberg (GER/LOT) 29:54.
152. Marco Haller (AUT/KAT) 29:54.
153. Arnaud Dmare (FRA/FDJ) 29:54.
154. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR/MTN) 29:54.
155. Simon Yates (GBR/ORI) 29:54.
156. Alexander Kristoff (NOR/KAT) 29:54.
157. Svein Tuft (CAN/ORI) 29:54.
158. Laurens ten Dam (NED/LNL) 29:54.
159. Stephen Cummings (GBR/MTN) 29:54.
160. Tim Wellens (BEL/LOT) 29:54.
161. Pieter Weening (NED/ORI) 29:54.
162. Ian Stannard (GBR/SKY) 29:54.
163. Louis Meintjies (RSA/MTN) 37:09.

Did not finish

Jerome Coppel (FRA/IAM)
Michal Kwiatkowski (POL/ETI)
Nathan Haas (AUS/CAN)
Sam Bennett (IRL/BOA)
Tejay Van Garderen (USA/BMC)

Did not start

Laurent Didier (LUX/TRE)

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