Stage 19 of this year’s Tour de France was dramatically altered due to weather and safety conditions. Due to a disease epidemic striking local cattle, organizers cut the course down from 129.9 kilometers to just under 95 kilometers. The stage, which culminated in La Plagne at an altitude of 2,052 meters, featured two demanding climbs: the Col du Pré and the finish line ascent.
Yet in a surprising twist, David Rozman has exited the contest. He is a pillar of the Ineos Grenadiers’ staff, and he stepped aside after an investigation into his purported communications with a convicted German doping doctor. This development has raised questions about team integrity amid the ongoing scrutiny of performance-enhancing practices in cycling.
As this year’s race progressed, Tadej Pogacar took steps to protect and extend his overall lead. He cruised in 4 minutes and 26 seconds clear of his closest competitor. Florian Lipowitz of Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe was in third place overall at 11:01 behind Pogacar. Oscar Onley, event darling and another contender to keep your eyes on, is only 22 seconds back from Lipowitz.
Unseasonable heavy rain made crossing the finish line muddy and dangerous, just one more element of unpredictability riders had to deal with. The first intermediate sprint came 87 kilometers into the stage. The sweltering weather conditions paired with the reduced length of course increased the intensity as racers faced the brutal climbs.
Valentin Paret-Peintre’s formation of a five-man escape just 69 kilometers into the race was one of the many factors that kept things thrilling on the day. Meanwhile, Alexey Lutsenko from Israel–Premier Tech encountered difficulties approximately 83 kilometers into the race, highlighting the unpredictable nature of this year’s Tour.
Most recently, Pogacar proved his prowess on high mountain stages. On the most difficult climb, one he had lost so much time on earlier in 2023, he was able to take 11 seconds. Onley also paused to look back on what he accomplished in those turbulent days. He later reflected, “After Pogacar and Vingegaard released me just before the summit of the Col de la Madeleine, I didn’t panic and got back to the front group on the valley roads to Courchevel.” Visma raced a brutal tempo, ” Onley said in praising Vingegaard’s squad, “I just wanted to do what I could.”
Team Visma’s race plan goes on as it’s become all about taking down Pogacar. Marc Reef expressed a determined mindset: “We want to battle until Paris. We fought at Mont Ventoux, we fought yesterday. It will be an explosive stage. It’s not just that Pogacar has beaten Jonas on all the climbs. He’s really used to getting ready for any fight, but we’ve got to keep our eyes on the plan. The competition isn’t really finished until the last minute.
Even with Visma’s lobbying firepower, and the progress made so far, some analysts doubt their approach. Bob commented on social media with sarcasm, stating, “Clearly the only strategy Visma have left is to try to run Pogacar over with their team car,” while Joe posed a rhetorical question regarding their approach: “What’s the equivalent of a cycling Hail Mary? Surely that’s what Visma need now.”
Primoz Roglic remains a key contender for the podium despite earlier setbacks. McEwen on strategies of different teams, With the right strategy…it was entirely justifiable for Roglic to launch an attack and go for a podium position. He stressed leadership and the importance of collaboration among fields in their collective work to defend Lipowitz.
Onley acknowledged the extreme pressure found in the world of competitive cycling. He said, “When you’re racing, it’s just another bike race, but the scale of everything surrounding it—the pressure, the media—can get to you. This sentiment rings true to all of us out here, especially with competitors in the cycling community as they battle these physical challenges and societal pressures.