STAGE 17, with over 5000 meters of climbing for all intense purposes this is the hardest stage of the tour. Riders will do well to finish it, to win here will be a huge accolade.

Surely the riders knew of the severe difficulty of the stage as they were leaving Pau, however, this didn't stop a range attacks with riders trying to form a break.

O'Grady(TNA) and Zingle(SSL) were the first to attack and they both looked strong as they rode over the Col de Rebenec.

They would be joined by former Greek champ Tamouridis(BSE), Efimkin(AFL), Veikkanen(KLO), Commeyne(IKO), Kreder(RBL) and M.Aldape(TCL) to form the 'official' break.

With 148 kilometres to go the break have 3:30 over the peloton as they reach the intermediate sprint point. From the peloton only Lodewyck(NEL) contests the sprint and gains seven points.

Immediately following the sprint is the 13.2 kilometre, 9% average col de I'Aubisque. Hester(SSL) and Margaliot(BZQ) are immediately tailed off the peloton, it would be difficult for them to make the time limit.

On the climb the pace setting was done by Nokia Ekspla. Out front, Kreder was dropped but he made his way back to the break on the descent, it looked unlikely for a third win in as many days for RedBull Nissan.

Veikkanen took max 20 points on the climb, if he finished 1st in the rest of the climbs today he would wear the KOM jersey, but Tamouridis took the points at the short col de Sauler.

With 100 kilometres to go three riders, all in the top 25, attack.....GOOD MOVE....with the break @ 7:00. The riders are: Caruso(QMS), Mosquera(BZQ) and best placed Georges(PDA) @9'05.

With 90 kilometres to go the break reach 17 kilometre col du Tourmalet

It takes 10 kilometres on the climb, but the second break do reach the original break. Immediately riders start to suffer, first is Kreder. Veikkanen blows soon after, his Mountains jersey aspirations blow to.

At the top of the climb with 73 kilometre to go only Efimkin can follow the trio, the group of 4 has 10'10 over the peloton. When the peloton reach the summit the break have 11'50.

With 51 kilometres to go the break hits the col d'Aspin still with 11'30. Nokia Ekspla take up the chase on the peloton, supported by Aer Lingus, Petro China and Husky Energy.

30 Kilometres to go the break has 10:30 and one rider decides enough is enough 8 kilometres before the start of the col de Peyresourde.....

SPILAK. Yellow Jersey Spilak(NEL) attacks, surely a risky move, so far from the finish...........

Out front, Efimkin is dropped by the three riders as they soldier on, the attack from the Spilak and the chase by Aerlingus and Husky Energy has seen the break's lead been severely shortened to around 7 minutes.. This also caused problems in the rear of the peloton Rohregger(RBL) and white jersey Boswell(SCD) were tailed off early on..

Mosquera is dropped. Towards the top of the climb Mosquera is dropped, surely Georges and Caruso will fight for the stage victory now.......

Meanwhile, Spilak gets caught by Morabito on the lower slopes of the climb..when he attacks again.........

Brambilla(HEY) makes his move. He rides across to Spilak and will ride on the front, when....

they are joined by Verdugo(BSE) and Szymd(PCA)...then Nieve(PCA) who seemed to pull the other favourites up the climb. Whilst Jeanesson(PCA) was riding on the front of the Kashechkin/Suitsou/Lofkvist group on the climb, it looks like the Petro China riders are riding for themselves......

The Spilak group will be absorbed on the descent by the other big favourites.

At the finish, Georges was the first to launch his sprint...could this be a victory for the Frenchman....

NO. IT WAS INSTEAD VICTORY FOR QUILMES. VICTORY FOR CARUSO. Quilmes have been right up there in the majority of stages and it is just they finally have a win....

Brambilla leads home the 20 man GC group a good 5 minutes later on, Mosquera hung on for third spot...

After an epic day of racing, Caruso is on the top step on the podium. Both he and Georges will move into the top 10 for their troubles. Only 8 riders failed to complete the stage including Bagdonas(ALS), so 160 riders remain.

Spilak showed is dominance today and keeps hold of the yellow jersey for another day. All other jerseys remain the same except the white jersey Meyer now leads Dombrowski by '33. Quilmes lead second place Telecom Namibia by 8 minutes plus in the team classification.

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