TDF 2024:- Stage 17: Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux – Superdévoluy, 177.8km ***Spoilers***

Stage 17: Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux – Superdévoluy, 177.8km

July 17th.

Start Time: 11-35BST.

The 17th stage of the Tour de France is a 177.8 kilometres long test between Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux and Superdévoluy. The elevaton gain is roughly 3,000 metres and most of it is crammed inside the last 40 kilometres.

As the race homes in on the southern Alps, there will be no significant obstacles crossing the Drôme. The tests beyond that, though, are likely to encourage the formation of a large breakaway group, whose members will have a chance to shine, assuming they can deal with the climbs in the final 40 kilometres.

Profile.

Map.

The Climbs.

Col Bayard (Cat. 2) The climb of the Col Bayard is 6.8km at an average 7.3% to a height of 1,246m.

Col du Noyer (Cat. 1) (Bonus Point)

Côte de Superdévoluy (Cat. 3)

Final Kilometres.

From that last summit of the Col du Noyer, it’s 11.5 kilometres to the finish in the Superdévoluy ski resort. This section starts with a descent. The Côte de Superdévoluy makes its entrance in the Tour de France history. With 3.8 kilometres at 5.9% it’s not the hardest climb in the world.

What to Expect.

These climbs aren't too challenging, so there's not much for the GC contenders to gain. Which paves the way for a successful breakaway. Interestingly enough, the breakaway is likely to form on the flat section – probably after a prolonged battle. Obviously, a breakaway that forms on the flat will mostly consist of riders who excel on that terrain. But they’ll have a hard time in the mountainous finale. So any climber who can make the selection should be favourite for the win.

Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux

Chef-lieu of a canton in Drôme (26)

Stage town for the 5th time

Population: 9,500

SAINT-PAUL-TROIS-CHÂTEAUX AND CYCLING

Over the last fifteen years or so, Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux has served as a relay for the Tour de France in the Rhône Valley on four occasions, each time for stage starts. In 2011, the peloton headed for Gap, where Thor Hushovd won ahead of his compatriot Edvald Boasson-Hagen to secure Norway's first one-two finish in the Tour. The following year, the race stopped here again, heading for Cap d'Agde, where André Greipel showed off his speed. In 2018, the riders set off for a stage that ended in Mende with Omar Fraile's victory. And in 2021, Nils Politt won in Nîmes. 

Specialities: Tricastin black truffle. AOC Grignan-les-Adhémar wines, Eyguebelle syrups, olive oil, lavender.

Wines of Grignan-les-Adhémar

Hampered by the notoriety of the nuclear power station of the same name, but also by the small size of their vineyards, the former Coteaux du Tricastin have obtained an exceptional decision from the INAO to rename their appellation Grignan-les-Adhémar from the 2010 harvest. The decision was backed up by a new set of specifications with yields limited to 45 hl/ha, increased Syrah and Viognier grape varieties (minimum 30 pc per vineyard), a ban on total weed control, leading to better tillage of the soil, and an incentive to develop organic farming. Red wines account for more than 70 pc of production and express their own personality within the Rhône Valley through a successful marriage of six red grape varieties: Syrah and Grenache, backed up by Carignan, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Marselan. Their wines are lively, with a nose that exudes spices (cinnamon, pepper, vanilla), red and black fruit as well as hints of liquorice and garrigue.

Superdévoluy

Hautes-Alpes mountain resort

Stage city for the first time.

Population: 910

SUPERDÉVOLUY AND CYCLING

SuperDévoluy has been hoping to host the Grande Boucle for a long time, and now it has succeeded. In 2016, the resort in the Southern Alps hosted the final stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné and gave two British riders a chance to shine: Stephen Cummings, who won the stage solo after escaping on the Cols de Moissière and du Noyer, and Chris Froome, who was crowned overall winner for the third time. Back in 2013, Froome won an edition in which the queen stage, won by Samuel Sanchez, finished in SuperDévoluy.

Specialities: Dévoluy lamb, tourtons, gratin dauphinois, tarte des Alpes. Ewe's milk cheeses, herbal teas, beer.

Craft beers

Christophe Wang, a former trainer in the French Air Force, and François Lefebvre, a native of the Beaujolais region, both came to Dévoluy to create their own craft beer, Bure for the former and Brasserie Interstellaire du Dévoluy for the latter. Christophe, who wanted to rediscover the taste of the British beers he loves, offers a lager and an amber, as well as a special beer brewed each month (white, IPA, Christmas beer). Under evocative names such as La Ferrata, La Filante and La Flèche, François brews lagers and amber ales made entirely with water from Dévoluy.

Gratin dauphinois

Traditionally consumed by peasants in the historic Dauphiné region in France, gratin dauphinois is a savory dish consisting of thinly sliced potatoes, crème fraîche, and butter baked in a shallow earthenware cooking vessel. The dish can be eaten on its own, preferably with a salad on the side, or as an accompaniment to fish or meat dishes.