Gall wins Tour de France 'Queen' stage in Alps; Vingegaard crushes Pogacar for yellow jersey

Felix Gall won stage 17, billed as the "Queen" stage with 69km of Alpine climbing, ahead of Simon Yates.

Defending champion Vingegaard of Jumbo Visma increased his lead in the overall standings to a crushing 7min 35sec, with Pogacar second and his UAE teammate Adam Yates up to third at 10min 45sec.

After the race Vingegaard strolled around the paddock with his daughter in his arms, while his defeated rival sat on a pile of tyres staring head down at the ground.

"I don't know what happened, I was empty at the bottom of the climb. I'm extremely disappointed," said Pogacar, who fell early in the stage.

Vingegaard was asked if he felt he had clinched the Tour.

"I think so. I have more than seven minutes lead now so I'm very happy," said the 26-year-old, who won the Tour in 2022.

"But we're not in Paris yet. Tadej will never give up. You know that," he said.

Ineos rider Carlos Rodriguez slipped to fourth. He is 1min 16sec behind Adam Yates and 18sec ahead of twin Simon Yates of Jayco Alula.

After Vingegaard pulverised Pogacar in the individual time trial the day before, the Slovenian vowed to fight back, saying he was hoping for bad weather.

But the forecast storms passed in the early hours of the morning and the run from Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc to Courchevel took place in searing heat.

Both the leading riders and their teams were dope tested an hour before the race set off from the pretty Alpine resort.

With around 7km remaining of the final climb up the Col de la Loze, Pogacar told his team radio "I'm dead! I can't go on."

Vingegaard skipped away. Adam Yates, freed of his services pacing Pogacar, was on the Dane's tail.

On a Tour where motorbikes have been much in th news, Vingegaard was stopped by one on the upper reaches