Nicolas Roche (BMC Racing) was once again on the attack at the Tour de France on yesterday's stage 17.

And while Dan Martin (QuickStep) saw the leading general classification men ride away from him, he still climbed one place overall.

Martin is now back up to 6th, with Simon Yates (Orica-Scott) the loser yesterday.

He was distanced by Martin on the final climb of the day, the Col du Galibier.

And so the Irishman jumped one place to 6^th at the expense of the young British rider.

Roche was among a group of 29 that would go clear early. And while he has been riding strongly on the Tour, the breakaway men were all swept up yesterday, bar one.

Alberto Contador (Trek Segafredo) and Darwin Atapuma (UAE Emirates) were the last men of the escape to be caught, though Primoz Roglic (LottoNl-Jumbo) survived out front alone to win the day.

Contador and Atapuma were swept up as the Galibier was crested and as the usual GC suspects found themselves in the select group.

Dan Martin was there, and he put several surges in on the climb. He got clear a number of tines but Mikel Landa (Team Sky) would bring him back.

And towards the top of the climb the big damage was done by Romain Bardet (AG2R-La Mondiale).

He had two serious digs in the final 2km of the ascent and they put everyone in trouble.

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Martin looked vulnerable but he reacted much better than Louis Meintjes (UAE Emirates) and Fabio Aru (Astana).

And while the latter two clawed their way almost to the back of the select group at the top of the climb, they never got back on.

All the while lone leader Roglic (LottoNl-Jumbo) led the way, both up and down the Col du Galibier. He was out front solo having been in the early escape and attacked it.

And he looked so solid descending the Galibier and riding into Serre Chavalier to win solo.

Behind him the really big men of this Tour grouped together; Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac), Froome, Bardet and Warren Barguil (Team Sunweb).

Martin was with them going over the top of the Galibier but he lost his place going down the climb.

He was gapped off the back and would be picked up by the chasing group containing Aru, Contador, Meinjtes and others.

And all the way to the finish that was how it would stay; Roglic winning solo by 1:13 from the chase group.

Uran led in that chase group from Froome, Bardet and Barguil, with Landa not far behind them.

And then 27 seconds would elapse between that GC group and Martin bringing home his small group.

But Yates was even further back and would  lose 1:31 to Dan Martin. As a result the final top six overall, with Martin now 6^th, looks set on this race.

Quite what the order of the men in that top six will be in Paris on Sunday will only become clear today, tomorrow and after the TT on Saturday.