Tinkoff Saxo's Rafal Majka has taken his second stage of the Tour De France with victory on stage seventeen.
The shortest stage of the race at 124.5kms from Saint Gaudens to Saint Lary certainly had a kick with three category one climbs.
Simon Gerrans and Reto Hollenstein were those who did not start as the race rode out on a sunny day. Straight away, there was an eight man attack which featured They are Cyril Gautier (Europcar), Tom Jelte Slagter (Garmin-Sharp), Martin Elmiger (IAM Cycling), Yukio Arashiro (Europcar), Nicolas Edet (Cofidis), Biel Kadri (AG2R-La Mondiale), Jens Voigt (Trek Factory Racing) and Sergio Paulinho (TInkoff-Saxo).
Simon Spillak abandoned before the intermediate sprint at Saint Beat which Blel Kadri took. Having moved into Spain, Joaoquim Rodriquez broke from the peloton and joined the front group as did polka dot jersey wearing Rafal Majka and Durasek and Nicholas Roche.
Rodriquez took the ten points for the col du Portillon before a group of 22 riders in Kiriyenka (Sky), Herrada, Izagirre and Visconti (Movistar), Majka (Tinkoff), Fuglsang (Astana), Kadri (AG2R), Dumoulin (Giant), Van den Broeck (Lotto), Moinard and Velits (BMC), Rolland, Arashiro and Gautier (Europcar), Schleck (Trek) and Taaramäe (Cofidis) rejoin Rodriguez, Roche, Durasek, De Marchi, Mollema and Lopez formed on the downhill.
Up on to the col de Peyresourde and Vassil Kiriyenka took the ten points and then led with a minute's lead before being caught on the col de Val Louron and passed by Rodriquez who took the ten points with 22kms to go.
The climb up to the finish at Saint Lary Pia d'Adet was a tough one. Rolland, Roche, Visconti and Moinard led going into the climb with eleven kilometres remaining.
Two kilometres later and Visconti attacked by Rafal Maijka dropped Rodriguez and went after Visconti, assisted by Nicholas Roche. He caught Visconti with four kilometres left and then powered away to take his second victory in this year's race in 3.35.20, some 29 seconds ahead of Visconti and 46 seconds ahead of race leader Vincenzo Nibali, who leads the race by 5.26.
Source: DSG
