SPOILER - Overall Standings After Stage 17

Here's the shake-out after Carlos Sastre's heroic effort up Alpe d'Huez today.

One more rider dropped out (there are 150 left) and George Hincapie lost some more time but moved up in the GC places. He's now 37th.

1. SASTRE Carlos 11 TEAM CSC SAXO BANK 74h 39' 03"
2. SCHLECK Frank 17 TEAM CSC SAXO BANK 74h 40' 27" + 01' 24"
3. KOHL Bernhard 115 GEROLSTEINER 74h 40' 36" + 01' 33"
4. EVANS Cadel 1 SILENCE - LOTTO 74h 40' 37" + 01' 34"
5. MENCHOV Denis 131 RABOBANK 74h 41' 42" + 02' 39"
6. VANDEVELDE Christian 191 GARMIN CHIPOTLE 74h 43' 44" + 04' 41"
7. VALVERDE Alejandro 31 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 74h 44' 38" + 05' 35"
8. SANCHEZ Samuel 27 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 74h 44' 55" + 05' 52"
9. VALJAVEC Tadej 109 AG2R-LA MONDIALE 74h 47' 13" + 08' 10"
10. EFIMKIN Vladimir 104 AG2R-LA MONDIALE 74h 47' 27" + 08' 24"
11. KIRCHEN Kim 41 TEAM COLUMBIA 74h 47' 38" + 08' 35"
12. SCHLECK Andy 16 TEAM CSC SAXO BANK 74h 49' 18" + 10' 15"
13. KREUZIGER Roman 65 LIQUIGAS 74h 51' 16" + 12' 13"
14. CUNEGO Damiano 71 LAMPRE 74h 51' 29" + 12' 26"
15. CASAR Sandy 161 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 74h 56' 11" + 17' 08"
16. BOTCHAROV Alexandre 83 CREDIT AGRICOLE 75h 02' 02" + 22' 59"
17. MOINARD Amaël 187 COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE 75h 02' 04" + 23' 01"
18. ASTARLOZA Mikel 22 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 75h 02' 25" + 23' 22"
19. SIUTSOU Konstantsin 49 TEAM COLUMBIA 75h 03' 32" + 24' 29"
20. NIBALI Vincenzo 67 LIQUIGAS 75h 04' 42" + 25' 39"
21. FOFONOV Dmitriy 85 CREDIT AGRICOLE 75h 04' 52" + 25' 49"
22. GOUBERT Stephane 107 AG2R-LA MONDIALE 75h 07' 08" + 28' 05"
23. TEN DAM Laurens 138 RABOBANK 75h 08' 13" + 29' 10"
24. MONFORT Maxime 189 COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE 75h 13' 51" + 34' 48"
25. POPOVYCH Yaroslav 7 SILENCE - LOTTO 75h 14' 10" + 35' 07"
26. SCHUMACHER Stefan 111 GEROLSTEINER 75h 19' 11" + 40' 08"
27. SZMYD Sylvester 78 LAMPRE 75h 21' 35" + 42' 32"
28. DESSEL Cyril 101 AG2R-LA MONDIALE 75h 21' 47" + 42' 44"
29. ARROYO David 32 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 75h 22' 26" + 43' 23"
30. KNEES Christian 153 TEAM MILRAM 75h 22' 51" + 43' 48"
31. AERTS Mario 2 SILENCE - LOTTO 75h 22' 57" + 43' 54"
32. BRUSEGHIN Marzio 74 LAMPRE 75h 23' 37" + 44' 34"
33. FEDRIGO Pierrick 141 BOUYGUES TELECOM 75h 28' 12" + 49' 09"
34. FOTHEN Markus 113 GEROLSTEINER 75h 37' 47" + 58' 44"
35. CARRARA Matteo 93 QUICK STEP 75h 41' 32" + 1h 02' 29"
36. MOERENHOUT Koos 135 RABOBANK 75h 42' 21" + 1h 03' 18"
37. HINCAPIE George 47 TEAM COLUMBIA 75h 47' 31" + 1h 08' 28"
38. PINEAU Jérôme 145 BOUYGUES TELECOM 75h 48' 43" + 1h 09' 40"
39. VOIGT Jens 19 TEAM CSC SAXO BANK 75h 50' 34" + 1h 11' 31"
40. GONZALO RAMIREZ Eduardo 125 AGRITUBEL 75h 53' 54" + 1h 14' 51"
41. LE MEVEL Christophe 87 CREDIT AGRICOLE 75h 57' 57" + 1h 18' 54"
42. TIRALONGO Paolo 79 LAMPRE 75h 59' 05" + 1h 20' 02"
43. ZABEL Erik 151 TEAM MILRAM 76h 00' 11" + 1h 21' 08"
44. MONCOUTIE David 188 COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE 76h 02' 00" + 1h 22' 57"
45. VELO Marco 159 TEAM MILRAM 76h 02' 52" + 1h 23' 49"
46. ZUBELDIA Haimar 21 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 76h 03' 01" + 1h 23' 58"
47. GUSTOV Volodymir 14 TEAM CSC SAXO BANK 76h 03' 18" + 1h 24' 15"
48. LÖVKVIST Thomas 48 TEAM COLUMBIA 76h 04' 35" + 1h 25' 32"
49. AUGUSTYN John-Lee 52 BARLOWORLD 76h 09' 16" + 1h 30' 13"
50. DI GREGORIO Rémy 163 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 76h 10' 13" + 1h 31' 10"
51. MARTINEZ Egoi 24 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 76h 11' 34" + 1h 32' 31"
52. FLECHA Juan Antonio 132 RABOBANK 76h 12' 04" + 1h 33' 01"
53. LOPEZ GARCIA David 36 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 76h 12' 11" + 1h 33' 08"
54. HESJEDAL Ryder 195 GARMIN CHIPOTLE 76h 12' 13" + 1h 33' 10"
55. TXURRUKA Amets 28 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 76h 16' 10" + 1h 37' 07"
56. VOGONDY Nicolas 129 AGRITUBEL 76h 17' 15" + 1h 38' 12"
57. TSCHOPP Johann 148 BOUYGUES TELECOM 76h 17' 40" + 1h 38' 37"
58. DUQUE Leonardo 186 COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE 76h 18' 29" + 1h 39' 26"
59. DUPONT Hubert 103 AG2R-LA MONDIALE 76h 22' 58" + 1h 43' 55"
60. GUTIERREZ José Ivan 35 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 76h 23' 53" + 1h 44' 50"
61. ARVESEN Kurt-Asle 12 TEAM CSC SAXO BANK 76h 25' 30" + 1h 46' 27"
62. VELITS Peter 158 TEAM MILRAM 76h 26' 24" + 1h 47' 21"
63. TANKINK Bram 137 RABOBANK 76h 26' 39" + 1h 47' 36"
64. WEENING Pieter 139 RABOBANK 76h 29' 21" + 1h 50' 18"
65. SANCHEZ Luis-Leon 39 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 76h 32' 36" + 1h 53' 33"
66. PORTAL Nicolas 38 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 76h 33' 21" + 1h 54' 18"
67. POZZATO Filippo 61 LIQUIGAS 76h 33' 51" + 1h 54' 48"
68. CHAVANEL Sylvain 181 COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE 76h 33' 55" + 1h 54' 52"
69. CANCELLARA Fabian 13 TEAM CSC SAXO BANK 76h 35' 23" + 1h 56' 20"
70. CIONI Dario 4 SILENCE - LOTTO 76h 38' 10" + 1h 59' 07"
71. MILLAR David 198 GARMIN CHIPOTLE 76h 39' 19" + 2h 00' 16"
72. FREIRE Oscar 133 RABOBANK 76h 40' 00" + 2h 00' 57"
73. MARZANO Marco 75 LAMPRE 76h 40' 15" + 2h 01' 12"
74. ARRIETA Jose Luis 102 AG2R-LA MONDIALE 76h 41' 18" + 2h 02' 15"
75. ELMIGER Martin 105 AG2R-LA MONDIALE 76h 42' 36" + 2h 03' 33"
76. POSTHUMA Joost 136 RABOBANK 76h 43' 17" + 2h 04' 14"
77. VERDUGO Gorka 29 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 76h 43' 54" + 2h 04' 51"
78. LE BOULANGER Yoann 167 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 76h 44' 49" + 2h 05' 46"
79. LOWE Trent 196 GARMIN CHIPOTLE 76h 46' 10" + 2h 07' 07"
80. FISCHER Murilo Antoniobil 64 LIQUIGAS 76h 47' 40" + 2h 08' 37"
81. LANG Sebastian 117 GEROLSTEINER 76h 48' 41" + 2h 09' 38"
82. GERRANS Simon 86 CREDIT AGRICOLE 76h 48' 53" + 2h 09' 50"
83. PAURIOL Rémi 88 CREDIT AGRICOLE 76h 49' 59" + 2h 10' 56"
84. VAN DE WALLE Jurgen 99 QUICK STEP 76h 50' 12" + 2h 11' 09"
85. LELAY David 127 AGRITUBEL 76h 52' 04" + 2h 13' 01"
86. VAUGRENARD Benoît 169 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 76h 54' 39" + 2h 15' 36"
87. LEQUATRE Geoffroy 128 AGRITUBEL 76h 57' 27" + 2h 18' 24"
88. FROOME Christopher 57 BARLOWORLD 76h 57' 35" + 2h 18' 32"
89. LEFEVRE Laurent 144 BOUYGUES TELECOM 76h 59' 54" + 2h 20' 51"
90. WEGMANN Fabian 119 GEROLSTEINER 77h 01' 28" + 2h 22' 25"
91. VAN SUMMEREN Johan 8 SILENCE - LOTTO 77h 01' 31" + 2h 22' 28"
92. CHEULA Gianpaolo 54 BARLOWORLD 77h 02' 59" + 2h 23' 56"
93. VOECKLER Thomas 149 BOUYGUES TELECOM 77h 07' 00" + 2h 27' 57"
94. SCHOLZ Ronny 118 GEROLSTEINER 77h 08' 01" + 2h 28' 58"
95. BALLAN Alessandro 72 LAMPRE 77h 08' 33" + 2h 29' 30"
96. CLEMENT Stef 142 BOUYGUES TELECOM 77h 08' 40" + 2h 29' 37"
97. PEREZ Ruben 26 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 77h 09' 15" + 2h 30' 12"
98. TOSATTO Matteo 98 QUICK STEP 77h 10' 49" + 2h 31' 46"
99. PATE Danny 199 GARMIN CHIPOTLE 77h 13' 15" + 2h 34' 12"
100. BARREDO Carlos 92 QUICK STEP 77h 14' 58" + 2h 35' 55"
101. ROSSELER Sébastien 96 QUICK STEP 77h 18' 01" + 2h 38' 58"
102. HUSHOVD Thor 81 CREDIT AGRICOLE 77h 18' 05" + 2h 39' 02"
103. SCHRÖDER Björn 156 TEAM MILRAM 77h 24' 20" + 2h 45' 17"
104. FLORENCIO Xavier 143 BOUYGUES TELECOM 77h 28' 41" + 2h 49' 38"
105. OROZ Juan José 25 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 77h 30' 59" + 2h 51' 56"
106. BONNET William 82 CREDIT AGRICOLE 77h 31' 15" + 2h 52' 12"
107. ISASI Inaki 23 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 77h 31' 26" + 2h 52' 23"
108. MÜLLER Martin 155 TEAM MILRAM 77h 31' 27" + 2h 52' 24"
109. CIOLEK Gerald 44 TEAM COLUMBIA 77h 32' 39" + 2h 53' 36"
110. HUNTER Robert 58 BARLOWORLD 77h 38' 19" + 2h 59' 16"
111. STEEGMANS Gert 97 QUICK STEP 77h 39' 30" + 3h 00' 27"
112. DEAN Julian 193 GARMIN CHIPOTLE 77h 40' 14" + 3h 01' 11"
113. HANSEN Adam 46 TEAM COLUMBIA 77h 40' 44" + 3h 01' 41"
114. GILBERT Philippe 165 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 77h 41' 54" + 3h 02' 51"
115. RIGHI Daniele 77 LAMPRE 77h 42' 50" + 3h 03' 47"
116. WILLEMS Frederik 69 LIQUIGAS 77h 43' 45" + 3h 04' 42"
117. O’GRADY Stuart 15 TEAM CSC SAXO BANK 77h 45' 11" + 3h 06' 08"
118. DUMOULIN Samuel 185 COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE 77h 47' 07" + 3h 08' 04"
119. KUSCHYNSKI Aleksandr 66 LIQUIGAS 77h 47' 35" + 3h 08' 32"
120. BONO Matteo 73 LAMPRE 77h 47' 58" + 3h 08' 55"
121. FÖRSTER Robert 112 GEROLSTEINER 77h 48' 54" + 3h 09' 51"
122. COYOT Arnaud 33 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 77h 49' 06" + 3h 10' 03"
123. BICHOT Freddy 122 AGRITUBEL 77h 49' 33" + 3h 10' 30"
124. SORENSEN Nicki 18 TEAM CSC SAXO BANK 77h 50' 34" + 3h 11' 31"
125. TERPSTRA Niki 157 TEAM MILRAM 77h 51' 36" + 3h 12' 33"
126. BRARD Florent 183 COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE 77h 52' 04" + 3h 13' 01"
127. MC EWEN Robbie 6 SILENCE - LOTTO 77h 54' 25" + 3h 15' 22"
128. FEILLU Romain 124 AGRITUBEL 77h 55' 05" + 3h 16' 02"
129. MORI Massimiliano 76 LAMPRE 77h 55' 07" + 3h 16' 04"
130. ROY Jérémy 168 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 77h 55' 55" + 3h 16' 52"
131. DE JONGH Steven 94 QUICK STEP 77h 56' 45" + 3h 17' 42"
132. GRABSCH Ralf 152 TEAM MILRAM 77h 56' 51" + 3h 17' 48"
133. HAUSSLER Heinrich 114 GEROLSTEINER 77h 57' 14" + 3h 18' 11"
134. BURGHARDT Marcus 42 TEAM COLUMBIA 77h 57' 51" + 3h 18' 48"
135. QUINZIATO Manuel 68 LIQUIGAS 78h 00' 20" + 3h 21' 17"
136. LANGEVELD Sebastian 134 RABOBANK 78h 01' 10" + 3h 22' 07"
137. BRANDT Christophe 3 SILENCE - LOTTO 78h 01' 14" + 3h 22' 11"
138. HOSTE Leif 5 SILENCE - LOTTO 78h 01' 41" + 3h 22' 38"
139. MAASKANT Martijn 197 GARMIN CHIPOTLE 78h 01' 44" + 3h 22' 41"
140. FRISCHKORN William 194 GARMIN CHIPOTLE 78h 03' 47" + 3h 24' 44"
141. GERARD Arnaud 164 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 78h 04' 06" + 3h 25' 03"
142. LANCASTER Brett Daniel 154 TEAM MILRAM 78h 04' 53" + 3h 25' 50"
143. ENGOULVENT Jimmy 84 CREDIT AGRICOLE 78h 06' 03" + 3h 27' 00"
144. GARCIA ACOSTA Vicente 34 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 78h 10' 07" + 3h 31' 04"
145. AUGE Stéphane 182 COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE 78h 10' 36" + 3h 31' 33"
146. KRAUSS Sven 116 GEROLSTEINER 78h 10' 48" + 3h 31' 45"
147. EISEL Bernhard 45 TEAM COLUMBIA 78h 12' 25" + 3h 33' 22"
148. RIBLON Christophe 108 AG2R-LA MONDIALE 78h 12' 41" + 3h 33' 38"
149. SPRICK Matthieu 146 BOUYGUES TELECOM 78h 18' 26" + 3h 39' 23"
150. VANSEVENANT Wim 9 SILENCE - LOTTO 78h 24' 24" + 3h 45' 21"

SPOILER - Top 10 in Stage 17

George Hincapie is nowhere to be found right now. I hope he didn't crack.

Here's the top ten in stage 17 of the 2008 Tour de France...

1. Carlos Sastre (ESP) CSC - 210.5km in 6h’07’58" (34.323km/h)
2. Samuel Sanchez (ESP) EUS - at 2’03"
3. Andy Schleck (LUX) CSC at 2’03"
4. Alejandro Valverde (ESP) GCE - at 2’13"
5. Frank Schleck (LUX) CSC - at 2’13"
6. Vladimir Efimkin (RUS) ALM - at 2’15"
7. Cadel Evans (AUS) SIL - at 2’15"
8. Denis Menchov (RUS) RAB - at 2’15"
9. Christian Vande Velde (USA) GAR - at 2’15"
10. Bernhard Kohl (AUT) GST - at 2’15"

SPOILER - SASTRE WINS

He's blasted the pack and won his second stage in the Tour de France. His first occurred in 2003.

Nice work Carlos. You've put two minutes into the field and might just hang on for a few stages or even to Paris.

What about your time trialing ability? Hmmmmmm. That could be the clincher or could give Evans back the yellow on the Champs-Elysees.

Complete standings shortly.

SPOILER - 1KM TO GO

Sastre is only 1KM from the finish. The CSC rider is going to win this stage.

Results and standings in a few moments.

SPOILER - 3KM to go in Stage 17

Sastre is still ahead - now by 2:20 - with only 3KM to go.

At this pace he's smashing the top five and will be the seventh yellow jersey wearer of this year's Tour.

Evans is trying to eat into that time by pedaling furiously, but it's not reeling Sastre back yet.

SPOILER - 5KM left in the race

The other post was a little premature as the peloton and Sastre had a few KM to go before hitting the first of 21 bends in the vicious Alpe d'Huez ascent. He's now 5KM from the finish and looks to have the race well in hand. As long as he doesn't crack on the mountain.

Race radio tells me that Sastre has a lead of 1:50 over the field and that puts him 1:01 ahead of Schleck and 1:03 or so ahead of Evans.

This was unexpected. Not as unexpected as KFC sauceless hot wings, but still kinda whacky.

SPOILER - The Situation on Alpe d'Huez

On the mountain it looks like we will have a change AGAIN in the yellow jersey.

Before even mounting the Alpe d'Huez, Sastra was 0:48 ahead of the peloton and not slowing. If he wins the stage, it will be his second of the 2008 TDF and will put him in the lead.

He started the day behind by 0:49. In the time it took me to write this he has built his lead to 0:55.

Where is George?????

Out of Bourg d'Oisans and on to Alpe d'Huez

The low level slopes of Alpe d'Huez are ahead of the peloton. There are two riders ahead - Sastre and Pineau.

With the scant lead Sastre has, he could be the overall leader if he finishes with the same gap he possesses now.

The rest of my info will be in SPOILER form and won't show up here until after 9PM tonight.

Oh, Saab word of the day is coming.

Lead is cut by CSC

Fabian Cancellara and the rest of the CSC crew has demolished the lead. The yellow jersey peloton is now made up of these guys and more -

Evans, Arvesen, Frank, Andy, Kohl, Valverde, Menchov, Fofonov, Siutsou, Moncoutie, Aerts, Arroyo, Kirchen, Efimkin, Valjavec, Weening, Mounard, Vandevelde.

I'm hoping Hincapie is close.

The leader is just one rider, Velits, and he's just over a minute ahead. Two hors category climbs loom and here comes destruction.

Hincapie CRASH

George crashed but quickly got up and rejoined the peloton.

Phew. Hope my predictions aren't causing people to run into danger.

As the four breakaway riders arrived at the Col de la Croix de Fer, they were nearly 7:00 ahead of the peloton.

The hors category climb is 29KM and I fear it will further splinter the riders. It's time for George to attack.

Col du Galiber

At the top of this first hors category climb the results were as follows...

1. Stefan Schumacher (GST) 20pts - and 5,000 Euros for ’Souvenir Henri Desgrange’
2. Remy Di Gregorio (FDJ) 18pts
3. Peter Velits (MRM) 16pts
4. Ruben Perez (EUS) 14pts
5. Bernhard Kohl (GST) 12pts - at 4’45"
6. Thomas Voeckler (BTL) 10pts
7. John-Lee Augustyn (BAR) 8pts
8. Amets Txurruka (EUS) 7pts - at 4’55"
9. Kantstantin Siutsou (COL) 6pts
10. Carlos Barredo (QST) 5pts - at 5’00"

Schumacher, Perez, Velits and Di Gregorio lead the yellow jersey's peloton by four minutes on the descent.

Even after Perez crashed over the side of the mountain!

Kohl has broken away and is the virtual leader on the road as of right now at the top of Galiber. More in a second, I don't think the Kohl lead can last.

First climb of the day

Courtesy of letour.fr...

The points for the first climb of stage 17 were won by:
1. Stefan Schumacher (GST) 4pts
2. Remy Di Gregorio (FDJ) 3pts
3. Ruben Perez (EUS) 2pts
4. Peter Velits (MRM) 1pt

The peloton seems as if it doesn't care about the group ahead, and based on the riders' positions that makes sense. But some teams want to ensure a team title in the 2008 Tour, so I bet CSC will start reeling these breakaway riders back in at some point before the next climb.

All that's left are hors category mountains culminating with the Alpe d'Huez.

Stage 17 Overview, Picks and Comment

Today's Alpe d'Huez stage is a mere 210KM. Think about that.

In 2004 I drove up Alpe d'Huez in a rental car. The car was suicidal by the time we finished the 20+ switchbacks.

It's daunting, it's dangerous, it will crack the pack.

I have NOT looked at any dispatches yet today and I KNOW the stage is about over. But I'll start giving recaps in a minute up to the base of the Alpe d'Huez. Then the rest of me posts will be after 9PM so as not to spoil your enjoyment of the race.

Oh, just in case you were wondering, Alpe d'Huez is only ONE of THREE hors category climbs in today's Stage 17.

It runs from Embrun to Alpe d'Huez and there's a catagory 3 climb right at the beginning.

My thoughts?

A peloton that's blasted to bits. Hincapie wins the stage. We lose nine riders just on the stage itself. The top ten riders will be separated by five minutes, but the gap to the top man will be 4 minutes PLUS. It will end up being Denis Menchov who breaks away with Hincapie and takes 2nd.

Wild predictions? Sure. But since I haven't been right yet, I might as well throw in some fun. Enjoy.