The champion of the 2016 Étoile de Bessèges, Jérôme Coppel, did not defend his title as he had retired from professional cycling at the end of the 2016 season.

Direct Énergie rider Lilian Calmejane took the first professional stage race win of his career,[3] after fending off a late charge from Lotto–Soudal's Tony Gallopin in the final stage time trial.

Calmejane – who won the third stage of the race – held an 18-second lead over Gallopin going into the time trial, but despite Gallopin's best efforts, setting a time some 13 seconds quicker than anyone else, Calmejane was able to retain the race leader's orange jersey by 5 seconds.

The podium was completed by the best young rider of the race, Mads Würtz Schmidt from Team Katusha–Alpecin,[4] 24 seconds down on Calmejane.

Points towards the classification could also be accrued at intermediate sprint points during each stage; these intermediate sprints also offered bonus seconds towards the general classification.