Cycling: In the second part of the Alps trilogy, a preliminary decision of the Tour de France is made. There are five mountain classifications and more than 3.500 meters in altitude to complete. It's the penultimate mountain stage of the tour - and therefore not a good time to have a bad day.
5 mountain classifications & over 3.500 meters in altitude
The second Alpine stage of the 2019 Tour de France takes the pros over 126,5 kilometers from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Tignes. There are five mountain classifications to be mastered, covering a total of more than 3.500 meters in altitude. But only the last 50 kilometers will be really exciting for the class riders. Before that, none of them will dare to break cover. Because the Cote de Saint-Andre, of Montee d'Aussois and de Col de la Madeleine – not to be confused with the more than 2.000 meter high mountain pass – do not pose any major challenges Col de l'Iseran and the Montee de Tignes but then very different. Because of these two climbs, only a really good climber can win tomorrow's stage. Tignes is only a stage in a Tour de France for the second time. Michael Rasmussen won here a few years ago.
Key moments of the 19th stage
- Cote de Saint-Andre (Mountain classification of the 3rd category / 3,1 km at 6,8% / 101,5 km +)
- Montee d'Aussois (Mountain classification of the 2rd category / 6,5 km at 6,2% / 88,5 km +)
- Col de la Madeleine (Mountain classification of the 3rd category / 3,9 km at 5,6% / 63,0 km +)
- sprint score in Bessans (58,0 km +)
- Col de l'Iseran (Mountain classification of the highest category & bonus sprint / 12,9 km at 7,5% / 37,5 km +)
- Montee de Tignes (Mountain classification of the 1rd category / 7,4 km at 7,0% / 2,0 km +)
- finish arrival in Tignes
Velomotion prognosis: The French have the best chances
In fact, Julian Alaphilippe this part. The mountains are not too long and the stage is also quite short at only 126,5 kilometers. But after 18 days of Tour de France racing and yesterday's mountain stage, the art of regeneration also plays a major role. As a classic hunter, the Frenchman is likely to regenerate much less well than a classification driver. This could be decisive tomorrow. Especially when the pace has been increased considerably up the Col de l'Iseran. The last two kilometers, which are flat after the mountain classification, are also decisive for the stage victory. After the teams Ineos, Jumbo - Visma and Groupama - FDJ could not distance the man in yellow yesterday, it is less likely today. But the challengers have a duty. Has Thibaut Pinot nor the punch he had in the Pyrenees, he wins the thing tomorrow.
☆☆☆ Thibaut Pinot (Groupama – FDJ)
* * Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck – Quick-Step), Egan Bernal (Ineos)
* Geraint Thomas (Ineos), Emanuel Buchmann (Bora - hansgrohe), Steven Kruijswijk (Jumbo - Visma)
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