High mountains in a nutshell. The first of three stages arriving in the Alpes-Maritimes on Friday 19 July promises to be very tough, between Embrun (Hautes-Alpes) and the Isola 2000 ski resort. Three passes, two of which are hors catégorie, 4,478 metres of positive elevation gain… The figures for this 19th stage are dizzying.
The roof of the Tower. For this fifth high mountain stage since the start of the Tour, the menu is copious. In just 145 km, the riders will face three climbs, and not the least. After the Col de Vars (18.9 km at 5.6%), the riders will face the Cime de la Bonette (23.1 km at 6.8%) whose summit, at 2,802 m above sea level, is the highest in the history of the Tour. Its 40 km long descent will take the riders towards the last climb, the one leading to the Isola 2000 resort (16 km at 7.1%).
A new Pogacar-Vingegaard duel? Since the start of the Tour, the two favourites have dominated the debates in the high mountains. They have also won all the stages that have taken place there. It is therefore difficult to see who could challenge them. With three days to go in the Tour, Tadej Pogacar will also be tempted to increase his lead at the top of the general classification even further.
French people fighting? The French climbers have been discreet on the roads of the Tour de France so far. But, like Romain Bardet, who is experiencing his last Grande Boucle, they could be tempted by the idea of expressing themselves on this penultimate mountain stage. Guillaume Martin, the first Frenchman in the general classification (16th), could take the lead to gain a few minutes and places in the general classification.