Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas moved one step closer to winning the Tour de France title as teammate Chris Froome finished eighth in the standings on a 17th stage where Colombia’s Nairo Quintana came victorious, on Wednesday.
Thomas held an overnight lead of 1min 39sec on compatriot Froome, but took it to 2:31 after the four-time champion crossed the finish 1:36 behind winner Quintana and 48 behind Thomas.
Ireland’s Dan Martin (UAE) finished second, 28secs behind Quintana, with Thomas third at 47 and Primoz Roglic (Lotto-Jumbo) in fourth at 52.
Froome’s failure to stay with Thomas in the final few kilometres of the 16 km climb to the finish of the Col du Portet amid a series of attacks by rivals means the Kenyan-born Briton is in danger of finishing off the podium.
Dutch rider Tom Dumoulin, who was also the 2017 Giro d’Italia champion, has moved up to second place, above Froome, but is stil behind Thomas.
Thomas will begin the 18th stage, which is a flat 171 km ride from Trie-sur-Blaise to Pau with a 1:59 lead on Sunweb team leader Dumoulin, with Froome in third.
Friday’s stage 18 is the final day in the mountains, and has a downhill finish in Laruns.
📺 Relive the last km of Stage 17 and @NairoQuinCo‘s epic win! 🏆🇨🇴
📺 Revivez le dernier kilomètre de la 17e étape et la victoire de Nairo Quintana ! 🏆🇨🇴#TDF2018 pic.twitter.com/Cly4b5bmBk— Le Tour de France (@LeTour) July 25, 2018
