The Latest: Treacherous downhill key to Stage 17 (The Associated Press)

A 16-kilometer (10-mile) descent from the Allos mountain pass into a valley before the final climb to the Pra Loup ski station is treacherous because of its bends and uneven road surface. The Tour de France pack is off and running on the first of four grueling days in the Alps with Chris Froome looking to protect his yellow jersey from his biggest rivals. Wednesday’s Stage 17 takes the peloton over four climbs to an uphill finish over the 161-kilometer (100-mile) romp from Digne-les-Bains to the Pra Loup ski station.