Tour De France: Stage 17 - As It Happened

General classification after stage 17

1. Carlos Sastre (ESP) CSC2. Frank Schleck (LUX) CSC +1min 24sec3. Bernhard Kohl (AUT) GST +1min 33sec4. Cadel Evans (AUS) SIL +1min 34sec5. Denis Menchov (RUS) RAB +2min 39sec6. Christian Vandevelde (USA) GAR +4min 41sec7. Alejandro Valverde (ESP) GCE +5min 35sec8. Samuel Sanchez (ESP) EUS +5min 52sec9. Tadej Valjavec (SLO) ALM +8min 10sec 10. Vladimir Efimkin (RUS) ALM +8min 24sec

Stage 17 result

1. Carlos Sastre (ESP) CSC 6hr 07min 58sec2. Samuel Sanchez (ESP) EUS - at 2min 03sec3. Andy Schleck (LUX) CSC at 2min 03sec4. Alejandro Valverde (ESP) GCE - at 2min 13sec5. Frank Schleck (LUX) CSC - at 2min 13sec6. Vladimir Efimkin (RUS) ALM - at 2min 15sec7. Cadel Evans (AUS) SIL - at 2min 15sec8. Denis Menchov (RUS) RAB - at 2min 15sec9. Christian Vande Velde (USA) GAR - at 2min 15sec10. Bernhard Kohl (AUT) GST - at 2min 15sec

4.55pm: Samuel Sanchez and Schleck The Younger battle it out for second place on the stage - I didn't see who got the nod on the line. Yellow Jersey Schleck crosses the line 2min 15sec behind his team-mate Sastre. Sastre is now 1min 34sec ahead of Cadel Evans with a time trial, a discipline at which the Australian excels, to come on Saturday. It's tight as a drum, but the smart money for this year's Tour is definitely on Evans. He put in a sterling day's work to limit his losses this afternoon.

4.52pm: Start your stopwatches, CSC rider Carlos Sastre has won the stage for Spain, riding himself into the yellow jersey in the process.

4.50pm: Samuel Sanchez launches himself off the back of the yellow jersey group and is immediately followed by Schleck The Younger, Denis Menchov and Christian Vandevelde.

4.45pm: Pain! Hurt! Pain! Hurt! Sweat! Gritted teeth! Agh! Carlos Sastre has 1.2km to go and is 2min 17sec clear of a posse that's happy to sit back and let Cadel Evans do all the work at the front.

4.42pm: Carlos Sastre is now 2min 08sec clear of of the yellow jersey with 3km of his ascent to go. He's now becoming a genuine contender for this year's Tour. Will Cadel Evans counter-attack or is he preserving what's left of his energy for the filming of tomorrow's episode of When Cadel Attacks ... on YouTube?

4.39pm: Vladimir Efimkin attacks again, Andy Schleck follows him. A very hairy man wearing tight black Speedos and waving a Spanish flag follows him.

4.38pm: Stage leader Carlos Sastre is now 1min 50sec clear of his own team-mate, Frank Schleck.

4.35pm: The yellow jersey group battles on through the cheering crowds lining each side of the winding road. They've 5.9km to go. Sastres is increasing his lead over the group containing Evans, Frank Schleck, Andy Schleck, Goubert, Efimkin, Valjavec, Sanchez, Menchov, Kohl, Valverde and Vande Velde.

4.33pm: The Schlecks' team-mate Carlos Sastres has ridden himself into the yellow jersey on the road. He's 1min 17sec clear of the bunch, having started the stage 49 seconds behind.

4.32pm: Heroically, a very courageous Denis Menchov has managed to dig deep and re-attach himself to the yellow jersey group. Placed 11th on the GC, seven minutes behind Frank Schleck, Vladimir Efimkin attacks again. Yellow Jersey Schleck (as opposed to Schleck The Younger) closes him down again.

4.30pm: There's eight kilometres to go and these guys are suffering all sorts of hell. Evans gets back on Schleck's wheel, dragged there by Christian Vandevelde of the Garmin Chipotle team. Evans and Bernard Kohl are both looking a bit green around the gills.

4.25pm: Race leader Frank Schleck attacks, prompting Cadel Evans to get on his wheel and then move in front of him. Schleck attacks again, with his brother helping him, and Cadel Evans and Bernard Kohl look like they have no answer for him.

4.20pm: Efimkin attacks again, but Andy Schleck immediately gets on his back wheel. Sastre leads the stage by 27 seconds, while Denis Menchov is, to put it in the words of David Harmon, "dying a million deaths". The poor sod is going backwards.

4.20pm: Carlos Sastre is currently leading the stage by 25 seconds. In the yellow jersey group, race leader Frank Schleck attacks, but is immediately reeled in by Cadel Evans.

4.20pm: Vladimir Efimkin attacks the front of the yellow jersey group, but his burst is short-lived. Denis Menchov is in trouble and has lost about 50 bike lengths on the group.

4.15pm: There's 12km to go, all of it uphill around hairpin bends. Sastre and Menchov attempt to escape from the yellow jersey group but are immediately reeled in by Mario Aerts (Silence-Lotto).

4.12pm: The yellow jersey group hit the incredibly steep first few turns of the climb and riders start dropping out the back door immediately.

4.02pm: With a little over a kilometre to go to the beginning of the ascent to L'Alpe d'Huez, Jerome Pineau (Bouygues Telecom) and Peter Velits are 1min 10sec clear of the chasing bunch of 36 riders. On Eurosport, Sean Kelly predicts a stage win for Denis Menchov, who's been carrying the added weight of £5 of my money today, their stats boy Carlton agrees. Emma Davies and David Harmon go for Bernard Kohl.

4pm: Lest any more Australians get upset about what they perceive to be our character assassination of Cadel Evans, in the interest of balance, Kieran Burns has sent in this footage of the CSC team leader being kind to a dog.

3.45pm: CSC continue continue to control proceedings at the front of the yellow jersey group. Perceived wisdom is that Frank Schleck and Denis Menchov will need to put at least three minutes between themselves and Cadel Evans this afternoon if either of them are to have any chance of being in yellow in Paris on Sunday.

3.40pm: On Eurosport, they're explaining why riders insist on sticking newspaper up the fronts of their shirts shortly before descending a mountain. They say it's because some of them like to catch up on current affairs, or maybe fill in the crossword or sudoku when they're whizzing down at 70km per hour. Actually they don't, they explain that it's because the paper stops the cyclists' sweat-drenched chests from getting too cold from the wind-blast that hits them on the way down.

3.30pm: For example, I bet David Harmon's girlfriend/wife doesn't email him during his commentaries to try and finalize hairdressing arrangements for weddings they're attending in four weeks time. Four weeks! What's the rush? Then again, my home town of Birr, County Offaly was put on the map for something other than hurling and big telescopes yesterday, when the biggest ever haul of crystal meth found in Ireland was confiscated by police. Everyone will want to get their hair done there now.

3.26pm: WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! The riders are descending the Col de la Croix de Fer, with the 21 hairpin bends of Alpe D'Huez ahead of them. Milram's Peter Velits remains 1min 15sec clear of the yellow jersey group and Eurosport's commentators are bewildered by the number of viewers who are writing in to complain about how boring today's stage is. If they had to read some of the correspondence I get from my readers, they'd soon realise how lucky they are.

3.15pm: I need a comfort break, but unlike Cadel Evans I'm unwilling to take it without leaving my seat. I'll be back in a few minutes.

3.07pm: CSC riders Fabian Cancellaro and Volodymir Gustov drop off the front of the yellow jersey bunch, leaving Kurt-Asle Arvesen and Andy Schleck (Frank's younger brother and the current wearer of the white jersey) to make the pace. Frank Schleck, Bernard Kohl, Cadel Evans, Carlos Sastre and Denis Menchov are all positioned nicely in this bunch. With a time trial to come on Saturday, if one or all of Schleck, Kohl, Sastre or Menchov don't attack Evans repeatedly on Alpe d'Huez today, they might as well give the trophy to the Australian today. If they do, there's no doubt in mind he'll accept it with his usual good grace and hit somebody over the head with it.

3.05pm: Damian Cunego is one of many who gets ejected out the back of the "main" bunch, which is less than 20 riders strong at the moment. . "Are we starting another round of official Evans destruction, a la yesterday's MBM?" asks Oliver Cooper. "I'm amazed that riders could bear to take a "natural break" in the saddle - can you provide one of your in-depth explanations here, or is it simpler (and smellier) than I'm imagining? On the other hand, perhaps said break is for motivational purposes, as it leads to the riders maintaining a fast pace on the mountains to try to ride away from their own shorts."

3pm: Led by Fabian Cancellara, five riders from the nails-hard CSC team of race-leader Frank Schleck continue to turn the screw on the group containing the yellow jersey. With 60km to go, Peter Velits has pulled clear of Stefan Schumacher, but the 23-year-old from Bratislava is only 2min 35sec clear of the chasing bunch.

2.45pm: "That clip of Cadel is so obviously faked up by you anti-rural Victoria/pro-cameraman Guardianistas," harrumphs Patrick O'Brien. "What about a bit of praise for his efforts before the second climb today when he had a 'natural break' without hopping off his bike, all the while telling the camerman to 'fuck off'!"

2.41pm: "With regards to the ubiquitous Naylor's comment about the Aple d'Huez being the greatest sporting arena of them all, perhaps the his judgement is slightly clouded by the fact that it's one of the only cycling venues where you can actually see the action for more than 3.5 seconds as the peloton zips by," writes Oliver Cooper. "I've no doubt that it would be tremendously exciting, but then again if every football ground bar the Ricoh Arena had the stands facing outwards from the pitch you might feel the same way about it. Is cycling one of the only spectator sports where watching on the telly is genuinely much more fun than actually being there?"

Yes, it's a bit like an episode of The Wire in that regard. Good to watch in television (even if nobody actually does), but you wouldn't want to be there. Not least because the game's changed ... got more fierce. You feel me?

2.40pm: Due in no small part to the heroic efforts of Fabian Cancellara at the front, the peloton is shedding riders - among them several good climbers like Nibali - like a moulting dog sheds hair.

2.35pm: Robbie McEwan, Jose Luis Arrietas and Vincenzo Nibali start cycling on the spot before succumbing to the inevitable and sliding backwards. At the head o the peloton, Remy Di Gregorio gets swallowed up - he looks totally miserable.

2.35pm: Then there were two ... Ruben Perez gets dropped from the breakaway group, leaving Stefan Schumacher and Peter Velits 5min 05sec clear of the peloton with 73.3km to go.

2.32pm: On the subject of all things Australian and two-wheeled, here's Cadel Evans latest attempt to show what a charming, laid-back, easy-going Aussie he is. The guy makes Lance Armstrong seem like the life and soul of the party.

2.26pm: The SBS commentators here in Australia (Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen) are a bit perplexed by the lack of attack from CSC," writes Patrick O'Brien. "Although Stuart O'Grady does seem to be going nuts again. What's your take on their tactics? More importantly, I haven't seen the devil on the side of the road for a few days. Too hot for him?"

Well Patrick, with Stuart O'Grady having downed tools for the afternoon, CSC rider Fabian Cancellara is now putting the hammer down at the front of the bunch and the gap between them and the leading trio is coming down rapidly. On the subject of Didi The Devil - they were just saying on Eurosport that, because he's sponsored this year, French TV producers don't like showing his logo-heavy devil-suit on TV so often.

2.23pm: "Is Frank Schleck wearing yellow shorts to match his jersey today?" asks James Scoular. "It was noticeable and disappointing, that he didn't yesterday. Surely he's kicking himself that he hasn't followed certain giants of the past in milking the opportunities the jersey gives you." Much as I hate to disappoint you, James, I can exclusively reveal that Frank Schleck is wearing black shorts today. Perhaps we should get Gok Wan or Trinny and Sussannah to have a word with him?

2.15pm: In the early stages of the 29km-long climb to the summit of the Col de la Croix de Fer, riders are start to drop out the rear door of the peloton already, but all the big names remain together. Having dragged the bunch along since the Galibier, today's bus driver Stuart O'Grady decides his shift is over and drops off the front. Six minutes and thirty seconds up the road, two men dressed as Elvis are chasing the leading trio, roaring encouragement and blowing orange kazoos. As if having to climb the bloody mountain on a bicycle wasn't irritating enough ...

2.10pm: Another Team Columbia rider, Bernhard Eisel, hits the asphalt after clipping the wheel of somebody in front of him at a traffic island. That's his second fall today and I think he's the fourth Columbia rider to have fallen today, with Burghardt, Hansen and Hincapie being the other four. Were they out for a few pints before today's stage?

2.10pm: "You note that Stuart O'Grady is giving hand signals to the peloton on the descent," observes my reader, Gary Naylor. "Does this mean that Stuie is the bus driver for today, a role often filled in the past by the wonderfully named Eros Poli? He's the kind of grizzled old hand the peloton trust to get them to the finishing line just inside the time limit for exclusion."

2.05pm: Apologies for the delay, but we've had some technical difficulties (no, really). The leading trio are 7min 18sec ahead of the posse and Messrs Perez and Velits are forcing Stefan Schumacher to make the pace. With the 2,067m climb to the Col de la Croix de Fer looming before them, they're happy to stay on the wheel of the vastly superior climber.

1.50pm: Di Gregorio is now caught in no-man's land between the leading trio and the chasing peloton. He's no use to man or beast there.

1.45pm: Having descended the Col du Telegraphe slower than Thora Hird on a Stanna Stairlift, Remy Di Gregorio finds himself 15 seconds behind Schumacher, Perez and Velits. Schumacher is still giving out to Perez and Velits for not pulling their weight, but they don't seem interested in anything he has to say.

1.45pm: On the descent of the Col du Telegraphe, Schumacher, Perez and Velits are 4min 11sec clear of a peloton that's strung out like washing on a line. Stuart O'Grady is leading the bunch, giving hand-signals to his team-mates as he goes around corners to let them know whenever there's a tight bend.

1.35pm: "Has L'Alpe d'Huez a claim to be the greatest sporting arena of them all?" asks Gary Naylor, who as an Everton supporter, never resists an opportunity to get petty digs in at the Great Sporting Arena Anfield and All Who Whine In Her. "It kicks up hideously at the start to give instant excitement and clear out the no-hopers. It then provides half an hour or so of intense competition in a literal and metaphorical cauldron of heat and noise (okay, not quite literal, but close). Finally it flattens out to allow the victor a chance to milk the applause on the way to the finish. And it's free to attend!"

A blog you might like: Matt Tempest, formerly of this parish and invariably a pot-bellied vision in Lycra of a morning after cycling into the office, sent this dispatch from his new home in Paris, telling us how this year's Tour has failed to capture the imagination of French folk. It's strange really, as haughty indifference isn't a trait you'd normally associate with the French.

1.25pm: All the leading contenders have made it safely down the Galibier in one piece. In the breakaway, Stefan Schumacher has been bollocking his fellow fugitives out of it for not doing any work and now cycles off into the distance to give them something to think about. Di Gregorio, Velits and Perez eventually decide he's probably right, it will be easier for them to work together, get out of their saddles and catch him up.

1.21pm: Through wide, sweeping corners, the cyclists descend the Galibier at a terrifying rate of knots, with Ruben Perez leading the breakaway and Thomas Voeckler leading a small chasing group.

Points mean prizes II

Results of the Col du Galibier

1. Stefan Schumacher (GST) 20pts2. Remy Di Gregorio (FDJ) 18pts3. Peter Velits (MRM) 16pts4. Ruben Perez (EUS) 14pts5. Bernhard Kohl (GST) 12pts - at 4min 45sec6. Thomas Voeckler (BTL) 10pts7. John-Lee Augustyn (BAR) 8pts8. Amets Txurruka (EUS) 7pts - at 4min 55sec9. Kantstantin Siutsou (COL) 6pts10. Carlos Barredo (QST) 5pts - at 5min 00sec

1.11pm: A couple more riders comes a cropper on the descent of the Galibier - Agritubal's Freddy Bichot is one of them, the other is a Team Columbia rider - but both are fit to continue.

1.07pm: Stefan Schumacher is first over the Galibier, bagging himself 20 King of the Mountasins points and €5,000 in the process. Remy Di Gregorio (FDJ) follows him over, then come Peter Velits and Ruben Perez. On the descent, Ruben Perez's back wheel slides out from under him and he goes off the road. However, the rider does well to keep his balance until he finds a nice grass margin with which to give himself a soft landing when he's forced to jump off his bikeleading the breakway and Thomas Voe. Within seconds, he's on his way again.

Points mean prizes

Results of Cote de Saint-Marguerite

1. Stefan Schumacher (GST) 4pts2. Remy Di Gregorio (FDJ) 3pts3. Ruben Perez (EUS) 2pts4. Peter Velits (MRM) 1pt

Results Of Monetier-les-Bains Sprint

1. Remy Di Gregorio (FDJ) 6pts2. Peter Velits (MRM) 4pts3. Stefan Schumacher (GST) 2pts

The stage so far

With 132km to go Stefan Schumacher (GST), Remy Di Gregorio (FDJ), Ruben Perez (EUS) and Peter Velits (MRM) have formed a four-man breakaway that's 5min 46sec ahead of the CSC-led peloton in the final kilometer to the summit of the Galibier Pass.

Today's itinerary

The riders set off this morning at 11.25am, no doubt relishing the prospect of taking on four monstrous climbs: one category-3 (the cote de Saint-Marguerite, at 31km), followed by three Hors Categorie challenges – the 2,645m Col du Galibier at 79km, the 2,067m Col de la Croix de Fer at 156km and the final rise to the ski station of L'Alpe d'Huez at an altitude of 1,850m. It's a great day for huffing and puffing your way over mountains most mere mortals would struggle to ascend in a car, there's a light breeze blowing, blue skies and a temperature of about 23 degrees and rising.

Stage 17: Embrum - L'Alpe-dHuez (210.5km)

Arguably the most famous stage finish in bike-racing (yes, even more so than the one in Paris), the climb up Alpe d'Huez is 13.8km at an average gradient of 7.9% with 21 hairpin bends.

The last person to win this stage was today's race leader, Frank Schleck, in 2006. He climbed les 21 virages in 40min 46sec, the slowest time of any stage winner since 1994. Of course, when you consider that pharmaceutically-enhanced riders such as Marco Pantani, Alex Zülle, Barne Riis and Richard Virenque were among those to clock sub-40min times in the preceding years, Schleck's time looks refreshingly pedestrian.

Lance Armstrong also broke the 40-minute mark over the hairpins twice (once in a time-trial), but unlike the aforementioned riders, the seven-times Tour-winner has neither failed a drugs test nor admitted to doping.

General classification after 16 stages

1. Frank Schleck (CSC Saxo Bank) 68h 30min 16sec2. Bernhard Kohl (Gerolsteiner) +07sec3. Cadel Evans (Silence Lotto) +08sec4. Carlos Sastre (CSC Saxo Bank) +49sec5. Denis Menchov (Rabobank) +01min 13sec6. Christian Vandevelde (Garmin Chipotle) +03min 15sec7. Kim Kirchen (Columbia) +03min 23sec8. Alejandro Valverde (Caisse D'Epargne) +04min 11sec9. Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel - Euskadi) +04min 38sec10. Tadej Valjavec (AG2R-La Mondiale) +05min 23sec65. David Millar (Garmin-Chipotle) +1hr 23min 05sec151. Wim Vansevenant (SIlence-Lotto) +3hr 08min 10sec

151 riders remain out of 180 starters