The peloton embark on one of the most explosive stages in Tour de France history, with three huge climbs across just 65 kilometres. Join The Roar for live race updates and coverage from 11:15pm (AEST).
It’ll be on from the gun, with today marked as the key day to finally release the shackles and – just maybe – crack Team Sky.
The British squad have dominated the mountains so far, but maybe not quite in the way expected.
Heading into Stage 17, it’s Geraint Thomas holding the yellow jersey by one minute and 39 seconds to teammate Chris Froome, who is gunning for a fourth straight yellow in Paris.
Their dynamic will be an intriguing one across the closing days of the race, but they haven’t got it all their own way, with the best time trialist in the world, Tom Dumoulin, sitting just 11 seconds behind Froome.
With around two hours of racing, there will be no holding back today, with only one more mountain stage and the aforementioned time trial on the penultimate day to come.
Starting out in Bagnères-de-Luchon, the race will go straight up the Col de Peyresourde, then summit the Category 1 Montee de Peyragudes after just 15 kilometres.
A descent and intermediate sprint follow on virtually the only flat metres of the day, before the Category 1 Col de Val Louron-Azet. A 7.4-kilometre climb at an average of over eight per cent gradient, it should split the race entirely with just 28 kilometres to go from the top.
From there, it’s another short descent, then the Col du Portet, an hors categorie climb which might just be the toughest of the Tour.
The stats are enough to make the eyes water, with 16 kilometres at 8.7 per cent and ramps well into the double digits, including during the final kilometre.
It’ll be brutal, and early attacks could well be rewarded, with Sky more than likely having to pick and choose who they mark. Simply put, burn up on the first two climbs and Froome or Thomas could be left to their own devices on the final.
As such, riders like Romain Bardet (3:21 behind), Nairo Quintana (4:23), Jakob Fuglsang (6:14) or Daniel Martin (6:54) may attack on the first or even second climb to try blow the race to smithereens.
Prediction
It’s just about impossible to work out what happens here.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of Stage 17 at the Tour de France from 11:15pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks for joining me this evening for The Roar's live coverage of the 2018 Tour de France. Hopefully you enjoyed it. I'll be back at around 10pm (AEST) this evening for Stage 18 to Pau. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION 1. Geraint Thomas (Sky) @ 70:34:11 2. Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) + 1:59 3. Chris Froome (Sky) + 2:31 4. Primoz Roglic (Lotto NL-Jumbo) + 2:47 5. Nairo Quintana (Movistar) + 3:30 6. Steven Kruiswijk (Lotto NL-Jumbo) + 4:19 7. Mikel Landa (Movistar) + 4:34 8. Romain Bardet (AG2R) + 5:13 9. Daniel Martin (UAE) + 6:33 10. Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) + 9:31
Scott Pryde
Expert
TOP 10 1. Nairo Quintana (Movistar) @ 2:21:27 2. Daniel Martin (UAE) + 0:28 3. Geraint Thomas (Sky) + 0:47 4. Primoz Roglic (Lotto NL-Jumbo) + 0:52 5. Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) + 0:52 6. Steven Kruiswijk (Lotto NL-Jumbo) + 1:05 7. Egan Gomez (Sky) + 1:33 8. Chris Froome (Sky) + 1:35 9. Mikel Landa (Movistar) + 1:35 10. Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) + 2:01
Scott Pryde
Expert
They have given Thomas five seconds on the line, plus the four second bonus for finishing third. It means he leads the Tour by 1:59. Full results to come.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Chris Froome is in real danger of not finishing on the podium in Paris, but that was a great effort from Thomas, who picked up a few more seconds.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Froome has lost about 43 seconds to Dumoulin and Roglic.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Back down the road and Geraint Thomas has attacked again! He takes third place at 48 seconds, with Roglic leading Dumoulin a handful of seconds later - about 53. Steven Kruiswijk is 13 or 14 seconds later.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Dan Martin up to the line in second. He is just 27 seconds behind, so a great ride.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Nairo Quintana wins Stage 17 Great ride from Quintana. It's been five years, but he is finally back on the winners list at the TDF. Now, the clock starts. How much time did he pull back?
Scott Pryde
Expert
Chris Froome is still pedalling squares. He will be lucky to be on the podium in Paris at this rate.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Quintana charging up to the line here... Meanwhile, Dumoulin makes contact with Thomas and he, along with Roglic, will ride up to the finish line. They are 800 metres from the line.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Roglic is going again here, opening the gap. Geraint Thomas jumps straight into second and Dumoulin is suddenly under the pump trying to keep up. Froome must be half a minute behind here.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Roglic! He puts in an acceleration, but that was just testing the waters. He doesn't shake anyone and Roglic will then just set the tempo.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Meanwhile, Nairo Quintana has just 1400 metres to go. Froome is pedalling squares as the gap continues to open here. Geraint Thomas though, looks incredible. Right in the wheel of Dumoulin who continues to open the gap up the mountain.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Egan Bernal takes ove rthe group here and now, Dumoulin puts the attack in! Thomas straight into the wheel, as is Kruiswijk and Roglic. Froome has cracked again, now sitting behind Bernal who tries to guide him back, but I don't know that he will be coming back this time.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Froome has got back, but he is struggling to hang onto the final wheel in the group at times here. Dumoulin has to attack.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Or not. The pace eases, Dumoulin doesn't bring it up and Froome manages to jump back into the wheels.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Froome has cracked! Froome has cracked! Thomas, Dumoulin, Roglic are all back together, but Froome has been dropped.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Roglic! Big attack! Geraint Thomas is straight into the wheels and Tom Dumoulin again finds his motor, starting the chase.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Inside 3km to go.