Why The Breakaway Still Makes The Tour Unpredictable

Send us Fan Mail Stage 17 was supposed to be the sprinters’ last clean shot before the Tour de France hits the High Alps, and instead it turned into one of those days where the race refuses to behave. We talk through Jasper Philipsen’s long-awaited win, how a top-tier leadout from Mathieu van der Poel sets it up, and why the green jersey points race suddenly feels tight enough to change tactics at every intermediate sprint. If you love sprint strategy, positioning, and that frantic final-kilo...