The last time a stage started in Gap was in 2013 when Christophe Riblon rode away from Tejay Van Garderen on a stage featuring a double ascent of Alp d'Huez. Van Garderen will not be a threat today after succumbing to illness yesterday and abandoning midway through the stage and Alp d'Huez isn't a concern until Saturday, but stage 18 does include the most categorized climbs of the three weeks. Will it be another Frenchman today?
After interviewing Romain Sicard on stage, race co-emcee Nicholas Loth had a much more casual conversation with the rider.
Sprinter Davide Cimolai's goal will be simply to make the time cut over the next three stages before the final sprint on Paris on Sunday.
Luke Rowe seemed to be enjoying himself this morning as he filmed his ride to the sign on podium.
Teammates Perrig Quemeneur and Pierre Rolland.
Welshman Geraint Thomas.
The hilly profile of today's stage suits a climber like Dan Martin, although Cannondale Garmin have two other cards to play with Andrew Talansky and Ryder Hesjedal.
Co-emcee Marc Chavet shared a word with Talansky about his second place finish yesterday and the team's tactics for today.
The pressure off since his Lampre teammate Ruben Plaza won stage 16, Jose Serpa looked relaxed and ready this morning.
A bulky sprinter like Andre Greipel won't enjoy the Alps stages.
Tony Gallopin started the stage in 16th overall, just over twenty minutes behind. He has been riding decently but quietly and, even though he hasn't stirred up the same media excitement as fellow Frenchmen Thibaut Pinot and Romain Bardet, he is still in demand by the press.
Pinot sported a bandage on his left leg, a souvenir of yesterday's small crash while descending.
Giampaolo Caruso.
Simon Geschke, winner of stage 17 after attacking thr break and riding solo for the final fifty kilometer.
Michael Schär was just one of the many riders to congratulate Geschke.
Matthieu Ladagnous, Geschke, and Luis Angel Mate.
Usually overlooked by the media, Geschke was in much demand this morning.
There were a few more autograph requests for the bearded German than usual.
MTN Qhubeka received the prize for best team in stage 17. Unfortunately, Louis Meintjes, who had been eyeing stages 19 and 20, abandoned. The South African just managed to finish within the time limit on yesterday's stage and did not start the race today due to illness.
National champions Bob Jungels of Luxembourg and Alejandro Valverde of Spain.
Italians Daniel Oss and Jacopo Guarnieri were in mid conversation approaching the podium.
And they continued their talk in the shade near the start line.
Alexander Kristoff.
Despite being the best placed Frenchman in the race sitting in tenth, Warren Barguil manages to escape the heavy pressure placed on Bardet and Pinot's shoulders, presumably because he doesn't ride for a French team.
Mark Cavendish spent a long time fiddling with his bike computer.
Matthias Brandle.
All you have to do to get a huge smile from Dutch rider Roy Curvers is give him a little cheer.
The back of the bunch.
John Degenkolb and Mark Cavendish are fierce competitors on the flats, but not on a day with seven categorized climbs.
Koen de Kort and Degenkolb.
Waiting.
A gaggle of Orica Green Edge.
Sylvain Chavanel chatted with a photographer as Thomas Voeckler checked his bike just ahead of the neutral start.
In today's 186km stage, a break formed with 29 riders but they never gained over four minutes on the peloton. In the last 70km, the break fractured and eleven riders held a 2'30″ advantage while Giant and Lotto Jumbo drove the pace to preserve their leaders' top ten positions. The composition of the break fluctuated all day as riders were dropped and others bridged. At the summit of Col de Glandon, Romain Bardet and Winner Anacona led, though Bardet attacked his companion on the descent and quickly gained 20″.
The yellow jersey group, consisting of the usual suspects, was 2'50″ down the road. Despite a few digs, the group generally stayed together.
Bardet descended knowing the stage win was on the line. He maintained a pretty consistent advantage of about 40″ on Pierre Rolland, his nearest chaser. Soloing into Saint Jean de Maurienne, Bardet took AG2R's second stage win. Not only did a Frenchman win on a stage originating in Gap, but it was another AG2R rider.
The stage resulted in only one notable change on the GC. Barguil was the best placed Frenchman this morning, but Bardet's win slotted him in tenth place, bumping Barguil to eleventh. Mollema lost 19″ but remained in ninth. The rest of the GC stayed the same.
Stage 19 will show no mercy to the peloton. The race will hit four categorized climbs, including climbing a portion of stage 18's descent down Col de Glandon and concluding with a summit finish at La Toussuire. Quintana is a discouraging 3'10″ behind Froome. That's a lot to make up in just two stages. Movistar will have to be exceptionally aggressive and risk Valverde's spot on the podium if they are to stand a chance at cracking Froome and Sky, though the more likely scenario is the GC contenders will stick together and finish after someone from a large break attacks and goes clear. The clock is ticking for the Cannondale Garmin, FDJ, and Orica Green Edge, the only World Tour teams with neither a stage win nor a rider in the top 10.
Today's hard earned 5 autographs came from:
44. Roman Kreuziger
48. Matteo Tosatto
66. Samuel Sanchez
87. Georg Preidler
181. Matthias Frank