If Tuesday’s individual time trial in Évian allowed some riders to get back into the rhythm after the second rest day, while also enabling Ewen Costiou to secure a solid nineteenth place, the Tour de France resumed at a blistering pace on Wednesday. In a disjointed, chaotic seventeenth stage, the breakaway ultimately prevailed, but with several of the race’s fastest sprinters among its ranks. Alongside Clément Braz Afonso and Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet at the front, Clément Russo claimed a fine sixth place in what may well go down as the craziest stage of the 2026 edition.
Each of the riders still in contention entered the final stretch of the Tour de France with an individual effort on Tuesday. The day after the second rest day, they faced a 26-kilometre route between Évian-les-Bains and Thonon-les-Bains, featuring a long, steady climb in the opening half of the course. The favorites and the time-trial specialists were naturally expected to shine, but Groupama-FDJ United Cycling Team nevertheless approached the stage with a serious state of mind. “We asked the riders to commit themselves, but without putting themselves into a state of extreme fatigue,” explained Yvon Caër. “Ewen was also eager, after finishing third at the French National Championships, to measure himself against this level of competition, and he did exactly that.” Thanks to a time of 35’08, the young Breton rider indeed secured a strong top-20 finish (19th). “At this level, it’s a real benchmark for him,” Yvon continued. “He could perhaps even have finished a little higher had he not been delayed while overtaking another rider on the descent. In any case, it’s a very encouraging sign for the future. As for everyone else, apart from Lorenzo, who had a slight sore throat, they all approached the time trial with the right attitude. That’s part of the team’s culture.” World and Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel comfortably claimed victory on the stage with a winning time of 32’19”.
“I didn’t even think I’d make it back to the front” – Clément Russo
On Wednesday, the riders returned to their usual environment: the peloton. Yet that peloton was destined to explode during a wide-open seventeenth stage that many considered as the last real opportunity for the breakaway. Over the opening fifty uphill kilometres from Chambéry, the fight to make the day’s move was, as expected, relentless. “It was crazy,” said Yvon. “But once again, we were part of the action. At first, we were naturally backing our climbers, especially Guillaume and Clément [Braz Afonso], who followed the attacks well. Our only small regret is that Quentin got caught out when the favourites eased up after around sixty kilometres, even though he’d managed to hang on until then.” Initially, it was therefore the team’s two climbers who managed to establish themselves in what became a remarkable sixteen-man breakaway. “We knew it could take a long time for the break to go clear,” added Clément Braz Afonso. “By the time I realized I was finally in the breakaway, I was already exhausted, and I thought it was going to be a very long day. The pace on the flat sections really didn’t suit me at all. I was completely on the limit, and I was actually relieved when the riders from behind bridged across because it finally allowed me to sit on the wheels.” Although the breakaway quickly built up a one-minute advantage, the first peloton indeed refused to ease off immediately. A chase developed around the midway point of the stage before several counter-attacks were launched with roughly sixty kilometres remaining, after more than two and a half hours of racing.
It was at that point that the front of the race gradually began to grow in numbers. “Clément [Russo] had the good idea to follow one of the waves of attacks, and he made a huge effort to bridge across,” explained Yvon. “I’m still wondering how I managed it, » Clément Russo smiled afterwards. “Honestly, I thought it was over when the group of twenty riders went clear. In the end, we came back close, attacks were flying everywhere, and groups of around ten riders kept getting away. I missed the first one, I missed the second one, then I finally managed to make the third. Even then, I didn’t even think I’d make it back to the front because there weren’t many of us, and I was with Philipsen, so the cooperation wasn’t exactly ideal. Somehow, I managed to bridge across at the very last moment. I was already happy just to be at the front, even though six riders had already attacked again in the meantime.” Over the final forty kilometres, the race evolved into a duel between the two leading breakaway groups, with momentum gradually swinging in favour of the larger chasing group. Even more so when Jasper Stuyven launched a solo attack with twenty-five kilometres remaining. “We wanted it to come back together for the stage win,” said Yvon. “Together with the team, I decided to go to the front and pull because we know Clément is fast, and with a group of sprinters who had already spent a lot of energy, anything was possible,” added Clément Braz Afonso. At fast speed, the chasing group rapidly came close to Stuyven, who reached the day’s final uncategorized climb (2.5 km at 4%) with only a fifteen-second gap.
“The commitment is always there, and that’s hugely satisfying” – Yvon Caër
A few attacks were launched on the climb, but no one managed to break clear over the top, just three kilometres from the finish. “I was afraid the race would split on the last climb, but I wanted to give absolutely everything,” said Clément Russo. “I even made an effort over the summit when I saw Pedersen accelerate with Van der Poel. I preferred to follow so that I wouldn’t have any regrets afterwards.” Around twenty riders eventually regrouped in the closing kilometres, setting up a reduced bunch sprint despite one final attempt to anticipate the finish from Joshua Tarling. “The sprint was really all about the head,” Clément explained. “I didn’t have much left in the tank, just like most of the others, I think, but it was enough to finish sixth.” At the end of a stage that was as chaotic as it was intense and spectacular, the 31-year-old rider from Lyon claimed his fourth top-ten finish of the 2026 Tour. “I’m still pleased with it,” he said. “It’s my best result of this year’s Tour. It’s better than my three previous eighth places, so I’ll definitely take it. My form has been there since the start, and I’ve been consistent.” “Physically, he produced a performance of the highest level,” praised Yvon. “In terms of pure sprint, he’s still at a disadvantage against the very best, but he’s in excellent condition, he’s highly motivated, and he’s really enjoying putting himself in contention every time. He’s always in the fight and manages situations almost perfectly.”
Groupama-FDJ United also finished the seventeenth stage with a strong sense of a job well done. “Clément rode a superb race, and once again we delivered a very strong team performance today,” said Clément Braz Afonso. “We were fighting for the stage victory again, and I think we’ve once more shown a good attitude.” “Every single rider is committing himself, one after another,” insisted Yvon. “On stages like these, you need total commitment, solidarity, and you can never give up. It’s clear that, when it comes to these breakaway opportunities, we’re having a very good Tour de France so far. Whenever the racing becomes more selective physically, it’s naturally more complicated because this is the Tour, but the commitment is always there, and that’s hugely satisfying to see. Friday and Saturday will be pure climbers’ stages, but tomorrow we’re hopeful that our riders will once again be able to seize the opportunity of a breakaway and fight for another strong result.”
