The 17th stage was neutralized due to a large-scale riders' protest. The riders went on strike in response to what they saw as the heavy-handed treatment and ongoing police raids related to the doping investigations, particularly those targeting the TVM–Farm Frites team. During what became known as the "Tour of Doping," team managers and doctors were arrested and questioned by the French authorities as if they were criminals. The peloton felt humiliated, hounded, and unfairly treated amid the massive anti-doping crackdown that followed the Festina affair. During the stage, the peloton decided to stage a protest. The riders proceeded at a very slow pace, threw away their race numbers, and refused to race until a clear signal was given. In the end, the stage was completely neutralized, and no stage results or general classification standings were recorded. The protests also led several teams—including ONCE, Banesto, Kelme, TVM, Riso Scotti, and Vitalicio Seguros—to withdraw from the Tour.