Tour de France 2022: Opinion: Three-man UAE Team Emirates put Geraint Thomas and Ineos Grenadiers to the sword

It’s not as if Ineos Grenadiers didn’t try. Tom Pidcock was sniffing around the early moves during the fast and frantic start to Stage 17 while Dylan van Baarle, second time lucky, got himself into the breakaway alongside Dani Martinez. Jonathan Castroviejo even tried to bridge over on the first of four climbs, the Col d’Aspin, giving Geraint Thomas three men up the road.

Not bad considering three men – two, really, given Marc Hirschi’s form – were the sum of Tadej Pogacar’s entire workforce. Ad/> Were those three riders the right men for Ineos? Probably not. But in light of what happened next, having Pidcock or Adam Yates in the move would have not brought much joy, either.

Winner on Alpe d’Huez last week, Pidcock shipped 22 minutes at Peyragudes to plummet out of the top 10 while an ill Yates dropped three places to ninth. /> Tour de FranceStage 17 on-board highlights — Watch exciting day in Pyrenees from unique perspective2 HOURS AGO Ferocious Pogacar wins Stage 17 as Vingegaard holds on, Thomas dropped Any hopes of Ineos using their peripheral GC men to put the two riders above Thomas under pressure went up in smoke on the second category Hourquette d’Ancizan. And the author of their undoing? Mikkel Bjerg – one of Pogacar’s remaining three domestiques and a rider not renowned for his climbing.