Nairo Quintana has relinquished all but the faintest hope of winning the 2016 Tour de France after a bruising stage 17, where he lost contact with the yellow jersey group on the Finhaut-Emosson summit finish and ceded another half a minute to Chris Froome.
The Colombian had been biding his time up to this point, waiting until the race hit the Alps to launch his assault on reigning champion Froome, who was 2:59 ahead going into the second rest-day. But instead of beginning to claw back time, he lost 28 more valuable seconds as Richie Porte attacked on the hors categorie climb and Froome followed.
After what he described as a "bad day" where his "body didn't feel good" on the final climb, Quintana now finds himself fourth overall, 3:27 down on Froome, who is looking unflappable with just three GC stages before Paris.
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Asked if his 'sueño amarillo' (yellow dream) – as he has been referring to his ambitions here – had just ended, Quintana's response was telling.
"There are lots of years left," he said.
"I'm 26 and the guys ahead of me are much older and have much more experience. The dream is not over and there are many years to come, many years to keep trying."
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