Images: The Tour de France so far
Simon Geschke of the Giant-Alpecin team has won a tough and dangerous Stage 17 in the Alps with a brave solo breakaway and hairy and treacherous descent to ride in alone to the Pra Loup ski station.
The bearded German held off Andrew Talansky of Cannondale-Garmin, who was in hot pursuit on the final climb.
Race leader Chris Froome showed his bike-handling skills on the last terrifying high-speed descent where 2007 and 2009 winner Alberto Contador suffered a problem with his bike, costing him time.
Geschke celebrated his win with a double fist-pump.
Tejay van Gaderen, the American leader of the BMC team, abandoned the race after falling ill.
The pack with Britain's Chris Froome, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, rides during the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 161 kilometers (100 miles) with start in Digne-les-Bains and finish in Pra Loup, France, Wednesday, July 22, 2015.
(AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
The pack rides during the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 161 kilometers (100 miles) with start in Digne-les-Bains and finish in Pra Loup, France, Wednesday, July 22, 2015.
(AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Spain's Alejandro Valverde adjusts his communication equipment as Colombia's Nairo Quintana, wearing the best young rider's white jersey, talks to him prior to the start of the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France Wednesday, July 22, 2015.
(AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
Switzerland's Mathias Frank, second left, rides in the pack during the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France Wednesday, July 22, 2015.
(AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Distanced Tejay van Garderen of the U.S., left, struggles after he fell ill during the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France. Van Garderen subsequently abandoned the race.
(AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Distanced Tejay van Garderen of the U.S. struggles after he fell ill. Van Garderen subsequently abandoned the race.
(AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Tejay van Garderen of the U.S. smiles as he talks to a teammate prior to a training on the second rest day of the Tour de France cycling race in Sisteron, Tuesday, July 21, 2015.
(AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
Germany's Simon Geschke celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 161 kilometers (100 miles) with start in Digne-les-Bains and finish in Pra Loup, France, Wednesday, July 22, 2015.
(AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
Britain's Chris Froome, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, rides during the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 161 kilometers (100 miles) with start in Digne-les-Bains and finish in Pra Loup, France, Wednesday, July 22, 2015.
(AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Britain's Chris Froome, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, follows teammate Britain's Ian Stannard, left, during the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 161 kilometers (100 miles) with start in Digne-les-Bains and finish in Pra Loup, France, Wednesday, July 22, 2015.
(AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Distanced Tejay van Garderen of the U.S., right, follows teammate Australia's Rohan Dennis, after he fell ill during the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 161 kilometers (100 miles) with start in Digne-les-Bains and finish in Pra Loup, France, Wednesday, July 22, 2015. Van Garderen subsequently abandoned the race.
(AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
In this Tuesday July 21, 2015, image Tejay van Garderen of the U.S. prepares to leave for a training on the second rest day of the Tour de France cycling race in Sisteron, Tuesday, July 21, 2015. Van Garderen fell ill and abandoned race in the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 161 kilometers (100 miles) with start in Digne-les-Bains and finish in Pra Loup, France, Wednesday, July 22, 2015.
(AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
Britain's Chris Froome, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, center rear, follows Spain's Alberto Contador, left, and Spain's Alejandro Valverde, right, as they climb during the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 161 kilometers (100 miles) with start in Digne-les-Bains and finish in Pra Loup, France, Wednesday, July 22, 2015.
(AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
Colombia's Nairo Quintana, wearing the best young rider's white jersey, right, maneuvers his bicycle as Spain's Alejandro Valverde, left, and Germany's Emmanuel Buchmann, center right, wait for a commemoration of the Germawings air crash prior to the start of the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 161 kilometers (100 miles) with start in Digne-les-Bains and finish in Pra Loup, France, Wednesday, July 22, 2015.
(AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
Britain's Chris Froome, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, is followed by Spain's Alberto Losada, Italy's Vincenzo Nibali and Spain's Alejandro Valverde as they speed downhill during the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 161 kilometers (100 miles) with start in Digne-les-Bains and finish in Pra Loup, France, Wednesday, July 22, 2015.
(AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Colombia's Nairo Quintana, wearing the best young rider's white jersey, greets Britain's Chris Froome, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, prior to the start of the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 161 kilometers (100 miles) with start in Digne-les-Bains and finish in Pra Loup, France, Wednesday, July 22, 2015.
(AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
The handlebars of the bicycle of German national champion Emmanuel Buchmann are decorated with tape in the national colors as he waits at the front of the pack to observe a minute of silence for the victims of the Germanwings air crash prior to the start of the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 161 kilometers (100 miles) with start in Digne-les-Bains and finish in Pra Loup, France, Wednesday, July 22, 2015.
(AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
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