2017 Tour La Provence Explained

2017 Tour La Provence
Series:UCI Europe Tour
Date:21–23 February 2017
Stages:3
Distance:532.7
Unit:km
Time:12h 55' 14"[1]
Speed:41.228
First:Rohan Dennis
First Nat:Australia
First Color:blue
Second:Mattia Cattaneo
Second Nat:Italy
Third:Alexandre Geniez
Third Nat:France
Points:Rohan Dennis
Points Nat:Australia
Points Color:green
Mountains:Jan Polanc
Mountains Nat:Slovenia
Mountains Color:red
Youth:Léo Vincent
Youth Nat:France
Youth Color:white
Previous:2016
Next:2018

The 2017 Tour La Provence was a road cycling stage race that took place between 21 and 23 February 2017. The race was rated as a 2.1 event as part of the 2017 UCI Europe Tour, and was the second edition of the Tour La Provence.[2]

The race was won by Australian rider Rohan Dennis,[3] of the ; Dennis finished second to Frenchman Alexandre Geniez on the second stage to take the leader's blue jersey, and maintained this with another second-place stage finish the following day – behind Italy's Mattia Cattaneo from the team – to take the victory overall by two seconds ahead of Cattaneo.[4] Geniez completed the podium, a further two seconds in arrears, after a tie-break with rider Jonathan Hivert.

Dennis also won the points classification as the most consistent finisher over the three days, with Geniez winning the multi-coloured jersey for the best cumulative placings in the general, points and mountains classifications. rider Jan Polanc was the winner of the mountains classification, while the young rider classification was claimed by Geniez's teammate Léo Vincent, finishing 15th overall. In fifth place overall, Julien El Fares was the top-placed rider from the Provence region, while the teams classification was won by the .

Teams

Eighteen teams were invited to start the race. These included four UCI WorldTeams, six UCI Professional Continental teams, seven UCI Continental teams and a French national team.[5]

Route

Stage schedule
StageDateRouteDistanceTypeWinner
121 FebruaryAubagne to Istres205.9km (127.9miles)Hilly stage
222 FebruaryMiramas to La Ciotat158.6km (98.5miles)Hilly stage
323 FebruaryAix-en-Provence to Marseille168.2km (104.5miles)Hilly stage

Stages

Stage 1

21 February 2017 — Aubagne to Istres, 205.9km (127.9miles)[6]

Stage 2

22 February 2017 — Miramas to La Ciotat, 158.6km (98.5miles)[7]

Stage 3

23 February 2017 — Aix-en-Provence to Marseille, 168.2km (104.5miles)[1]

Classification leadership table

In the 2017 Tour La Provence, four different jerseys were awarded for the main classifications. For the general classification, calculated by adding each cyclist's finishing times on each stage, the leader received a blue jersey. This classification was considered the most important of the 2017 Tour La Provence, and the winner of the classification was considered the winner of the race.

Additionally, there was a points classification, which awarded a green jersey. In the points classification, cyclists received points for finishing in the top 15 in a mass-start stage. For winning a stage, a rider earned 25 points, with 20 for second, 16 for third, 13 for fourth, 11 for fifth with a point fewer per place down to a single point for 15th place. Points towards the classification could also be accrued at intermediate sprint points during each stage. There was also a mountains classification, the leadership of which was marked by a red jersey. In the mountains classification, points were won by reaching the top of a climb before other cyclists, with more points available for the higher-categorised climbs. The fourth jersey represented the young rider classification, marked by a white jersey. This was decided in the same way as the general classification, but only riders born after 1 January 1994 were eligible to be ranked in the classification.

Additional jerseys were also awarded for the best rider in the overall classification from the Provence region (grey jersey), the most combative rider (black jersey) and the rider placed highest cumulatively across the general, points and mountains classification (multi-coloured jersey).

StageWinnerGeneral classification
Points classification
Mountains classification
Young rider classification
Regional rider classification
Combination classification
Teams classification
1Justin JulesJustin JulesJustin JulesAlexandre GeniezJérémy LecroqAnthony MaldonadoDamiano Caruso
2Alexandre GeniezRohan DennisJérémy LecroqMatej MohoričAlexandre Geniez
3Mattia CattaneoRohan DennisJan PolancLéo VincentJulien El Fares
FinalRohan DennisRohan DennisJan PolancLéo VincentJulien El FaresAlexandre Geniez

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tour de La Provence: 3ème étape Aix en Provence - Marseille. Tour de La Provence: 3rd stage Aix en Provence - Marseille. French. PDF. STSport.fr. Systèmes et Techniques du Sport. 23 February 2017. 26 February 2017.
  2. Web site: 2017 Tour La Provence . ProCyclingStats . 25 February 2017.
  3. News: Rohan Dennis remporte le Tour de La Provence. French. Rohan Dennis wins the Tour de La Provence. L'Équipe. Éditions Philippe Amaury. 23 February 2017. 26 February 2017.
  4. News: Dennis takes overall win in Provence. Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 23 February 2017. 26 February 2017.
  5. Web site: Tour de La Provence - Liste des partants. Tour de La Provence - Start list. French. PDF. STSport.fr. Systèmes et Techniques du Sport. 20 February 2017. 26 February 2017.
  6. Web site: Tour de La Provence: 1ère étape Aubagne - Istres. Tour de La Provence: 1st stage Aubagne - Istres. French. PDF. STSport.fr. Systèmes et Techniques du Sport. 21 February 2017. 26 February 2017.
  7. Web site: Tour de La Provence: 2ème étape Miramas - La Ciotat. Tour de La Provence: 2nd stage Miramas - La Ciotat. French. PDF. STSport.fr. Systèmes et Techniques du Sport. 22 February 2017. 26 February 2017.