Tour de France stage 19 LIVE: Martinez, Carapaz, Paret-Peintre and Yates among those in large break on Alpe d'Huez day
For the first time in Tour history, Alpe d’Huez will be faced two days in a row, starting with a short, explosive stage 19, 127.9km with 3500 metres of elevation gain
KOM - COL DU NOYER
EF were unable to carry out their plan as outlined by DS Charly Wegelius at the top of the climb, as Paret-Peintre jumped early 200m from the summit, again out-sprinting Carapaz for the 10 points.
Paret-Peintre is now virtual leader in the classification, which he has made his aim at this Tour de France to win.
“Closer to the top, Sean [Quinn], you can ride harder to put Paret-Peintre in difficulty for the top.”
Charly Wegelius
Fears about UAE Team Emirates XRG have been mostly allayed so far. Wellens is being dropped again now having made his way back on the descent, but Pogačar still has Del Toro, Großschartner, Politt and Vermeersch (who is leading it currently) in the peloton with him, while Yates was strong enough to get himself into the break.
The team also insist that their leader is feeling fine.
The riders are climbing again, and this time its a category one climb, the Col du Noyer. It's not as hard as Alpe d'Huez, but with an average of 8.4% for 7.3km it's still a tough one, and could see the break split up with the superior climbers going clear.
The break's lead continues to grow, now up to 1:50.
110KM TO GO
Lidl-Trek (pictured here at the start) are the main team pushing at the front of the breakaway group, along with EF - despite the fact that Martinez could leapfrog their GC men Skjelmose and Ayuso. They're prioritising the green jersey, with Pedersen in the group, and just one more (albeit hard) climb for him to survive until the intermediate sprint.
Their work is seeing the group move away from the peloton, which is now 1:30 adrift.
A rider in the top ten has managed to sneak into the break, which has a lead of one minute - Lenny Martinez, who is seventh overall at 12:50. This could cause the teams of riders ahead of him, notably Lidl-Trek and Decathlon CMA CGM, to chase.
Also among the 40 or so riders in this group are Pedersen, Arensman, O’Connor, Voisard and Tobias Halland Johannessen, plus the stage-hunting Visma trio of Jorgenson, Kuss and Piganzoli, and UAE's satellite rider Adam Yates, who is clearly feeling much better than a few days ago.
KOM - COL BAYARD
Carapaz and Paret-Peintre are both in this breakaway group, and, as ever, sprint for the KOM points. It's the usual outcome, with the latter out-kicking the former.
Meanwhile in the peloton, which is 35 seconds adrift, UAE have lost Wellens and Vermeersch, who have both been dropped.
Rubio and Martin did briefly join those leading four, and now dozens of other riders have joined them. It's a group almost big enough to be called a peloton - a lot of riders are desperate to get away into the break today. How will UAE cope with controlling things?
OFFICIAL START
And they're off! And immediately they're climbing, up the category two Col Bayard (4.7km at 7.1%). Already sprinters are being dropped out of the peloton, and attacks attempted out of the front The first group to go clear has four riders in it - Healy, Quinn, Gee-West and Tobias Halland Johannessen.
Tadej Pogačar at the start with Valentin Paret-Peintre, who still wears his polka-dot jersey on loan. Expect the latter to attack towards the start in an aim to pick up enough points to take the jersey outright.
The riders are on the move in Gap, and heading towards the official start and the flag. Anticipation is brewing!
All eyes are on Tadej Pogačar.at the start today. How is he feeling? Could he possibly be sick?Or is he about to make history, and add Alpe d'Huez to the long list of famous summits he has won on?
The yellow jersey had felt all wrapped up, with Pogačar coasting to victory, but there’s an air of doubt surrounding him and the team now. Illness is circulating the team, and suddenly they look a lot weaker than previously at this Tour, and are unable to exercise as firm a grip.
With this comes the lingering possibility that Pogačar either is, or could become sick. And if ever there’s a climb you can’t afford not to be firing on all cylinders on, it’s Alpe d'Huez.
This is Alpe d'Huez day at the Tour de France, but not the only one - for the first time ever, it will be raced two days in a row.
But today is the day where the climb takes centre stage, tackled via its hardest side, and the headline climb of the day, much harder than the three that precede it. The climb is often talked about for its decisive role in the race for the yellow jersey - that feels like what today’s ascent will be.
Hello and welcome to stage 19 of the Tour de France - which this year, is Alpe d'Huez day!
