Stage 19, which is also the longest of the Tour de France presents itself as the perfect opportunity for the breakaway, with a mainly flat 222.5-kilometre journey ahead of the peloton. Join The Roar for live coverage and updates from 10pm (AEST).
With Chris Froome doing a solid job yesterday to hang onto yellow during the second alpine stage, it appears baring a disaster he has won his fourth Tour.
Today’s stage shouldn’t pose too many threats, with only three Category 3 climbs on route and the time trial tomorrow on Stage 20 before the flat run into Paris should play right into his hands.
Stage 19 gets underway in Embrun and tracks south through the Alpes-de-Haute Provence before tracking over into the Vaucluse department.
The day starts off at over 700 metres above sea level and after 20 kilometres of undulating terrain, the riders will reach the Category 3 Col Lebraut. It is 4.7 kilometres at 6 per cent, with the 2.3-kilometre Côte de Bréziers following soon after.
The summit of that climb is reached at 43 kilometres, but after a short and sharp downhill, the race will kick uphill for a few more kilometres. From there, it’s a long, gradual descent back down to just 450 metres above sea level.
This deep into the Tour, every little uphill rise is going to hurt and so it’ll be another strong man’s breakaway. The formation of the breakaway will be hotly contested today – with no intrigue left for the green or polka dot jersey, it could well be a day for them.
The sprinters teams are likely to let them go – Andre Greipel and Lotto-Soudal, along with Nacer Bouhanni and his Cofidis team are still searching for a win, but are likely to keep the powder dry for Stage 21 and the ride into Paris.
Simply put, there won’t be the power, want or will in the peloton to chase the breakaway down, who have been kept in check for much of the Tour.
The intermediate sprint comes after some more undulations in Banon with 86 kilometres to go, before the final Category 3 climb of the day – the Col du Pointu – is reached with 45 kilometres remaining.
Following a descent, it’s then a gradual downhill run all the way into the finish line, with the last kilometre following that trajectory. That being said, it won’t matter who comes to the line first, it should be a fast sprint.
Prediction
The breakaway are going to win today’s stage. Plenty of teams are still searching for a stage win, but in particular watch out for Daryl Impey, a host of FDJ, UAE or Bahrain-Merida riders, and any of the wildcard teams with Dion Smith of Wanty-Groupe and Maxime Bouet of Fortuneo headlining the cause.
If it does come to a sprint, then Andre Greipel should finally notch a stage win – but that seems unlikely.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of Stage 19 from 10pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Scott Pryde
Expert
That'll do it here on The Roar this evening for our live coverage of the Tour de France. Thanks for joining me for Stage 19 as Edvald Boasson Hagen picked up the stage win. Hopefully you enjoyed the call. I'll be back from 9:45pm (AEST) this evening for the penultimate Stage 20 time trial in Marseille. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Before my days of watching the Tour - but you're right, it's been a long time. I certainly don't remember it. There was a similar one in the Giro a few years ago I think, but that was neutralised.
Scott Pryde
Expert
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION 1. Chris Froome (Sky) @ 83:26:55 2. Roman Bardet (AG2R) + 0:23 3. Rigeberto Uran (Cannondale) + 0:29 4. Mikel Landa (Sky) + 1:36 5. Fabio Aru (Astana) + 1:55 6. Dan Martin (Quickstep) + 2:56 7. Simon Yates (Orica-Scott) + 4:46 8. Louis Meintjes (UAE) + 6:52 9. Warren Barguil (Sunweb) + 8:22 10. Alberto Contador (Trek) + 8:34
Sheikh
Roar Rookie
Don't recall seeing the peloton roll in so sedately since they last neutralised a stage (was that 1995, Cassartelli?)
Scott Pryde
Expert
The peloton come over the finish line now, led by Sky. Stage 19 is over, the GC is the same and it all comes down to tomorrow, with Froome expected to hang on. Preparation for the peloton though, starts right now. Let's savour the win for Boasson Hagen for now though. What an effort. GC update to come in a moment.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Still waiting on the peloton, and the GC will obviously be posted when that's confirmed. They have 3km to go. Tomorrow, of course we have that TT which will decide the final GC. Hopefully, someone can make it interesting and really take the challenge to Froome - Uran, would have to ride the time trial of his life. Based on past results, Bardet is little chance of retaining second or moving up to first.
Scott Pryde
Expert
TOP TEN 1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) @ 5:06:09 2. Nikias Arndt (Sunweb) + 0:05 3. Jens Keukeleire (Orica-Scott) + 0:17 4. Daniele Bennati (Movistar) + 0:17 5. Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal) + 0:17 6. Sylvain Chavanel (Direct Energie) + 0:17 7. Elie Gesbert (Fortuneo) + 0:17 8. Jan Bakelants (AG2R) + 0:17 9. Michael Albasini (Orica-Scott) + 0:19 10. Pierre-Luc Perichon (Fortuneo) + 1:32
Scott Pryde
Expert
Well, the peloton are about ten minutes away from the peloton. The only even remotely interesting thing about that is ensuring they all get to the finish line safely. Full results to come shortly.
Scott Pryde
Expert
The rest of the splintered breakaway coming across the line. Ben Swift will be one of the more disappointed riders on route today, missing the split. In the end, it may not have mattered given how Boasson Hagen rode through that round-a-bout, going the other way to the majority.
Scott Pryde
Expert
No, I'm in the same boat... But he will take it nonetheless.
Scott Pryde
Expert
EDVALD BOASSON HAGEN WINS STAGE 19! Well, the rest of the breakaway have watched the stage win disappear around the other side of a round-a-bout. Boasson Hagen, who was robbed of victory during the second week by not even half a wheel is going to bounce back on the streets of Salon-de-Provence! It's not the way we expected him to win, but he is able to celebrate the final 50 metres. Arndt comes over in second with the sprint on for third. Keukeleire opens up and no one can come around with Bennati finishing in fourth.
Sheikh
Roar Rookie
I'd like to say I called it, but that wasn't how I thought EBH would win!
Scott Pryde
Expert
Inside 1km to go.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Nikias Arndt is still in between, but even he is more than 100 metres back. Boasson Hagen is going to win this with an incredible tactics move through a round-a-bout!
Scott Pryde
Expert
Albasini trying to shut this down, but no one in the nine rider group has the power to shut this down. 1400 metres to go and the gap must already be 15 seconds.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Boasson Hagen suddenly has a huge gap on this group behind. He has shaken Arndt around the next round-a-bout and is into the technical run to the finish now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Round-a-bout just inside 3km to go and it's Boasson Hagen and Arndt who go around the right hand side! They create a gap out of it with the rest choosing the left and all of a sudden the gap is open.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Chavanel looks to be thinking about another one as this nine-rider group reform with 3km to go. It's getting desperate now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
The flurry of attacks at the front continues. It's Keukeleire going for it now, but again he is unable to get more than a few metres before being shut down.
Scott Pryde
Expert
The winner will come from the front group as they merge back together. Gap almost a minute with 4km to go.