TdF 2019 - Stage 19
 

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...07def6d2ff.jpg
Shortish stage of only 126kms. but could be the one that decides GC in 2019. Bernal is the obvious choice with the altitude toping out at 2770m on the HC Iseran but if the others can limit their losses they could catch him on the descent and final climb with a flatish run-in to the finish. Thunder showers also a possibility and if they happen this will add another dimension in the final 25kms.

KM 89 will be the most important KM in this tour.

dunno...we've got a 33.5 km climb/summit finish to end the mountain focus on stage twenty.
thinking there will be several km's worth of action, attacks, covers, breakaways...somewhere along that stretch.

Looks like the end of Pinot's GC hopes. +4 minutes and he may abandon.

Pinot, in tears abandons.

85kms. 2go.

Break with Valverde, Uran, Nibali and Simon Yates on the Col de l'Iseran.

Yellow jersey group +2 minutes.I

Alaphilippe being dropped.

Bernal attacking

Bernal over the top Thomas group +52 secs Alaphilippe +2 minutes

Wow!

Stage stopped due to snow shower. Times at top of Iseran apply. Bernal in yellow.

Really bad.

Damned if you do damned if you don't. If they don't call it the pushback would be huge.

You could argue they could have let them get down the mountain into this village but still.

But but but RECORD HOT yesterday. LOL hahahahaha
Now they are showing the snow plow pushing a river on the road.

Looking at the pictures of the finish I think they made the correct decision. God is a Colombian.

I think they shouldn't award time bonuses for the top of the Iseran.

I agree. No one rode as if they would at the end of the stage to get bonuses. But they definitely made the right call when you see the video. Riders could have really been injured trying to get through that.

Are you familiar with climate at high elevations such as the Alps?

Wow.

Understand the decision but they should do the whole stage over, because Julian would of caught Thomas on the descent and grained back a minute on bernal.

They don't do stages over.

Maybe alaphilippe would have gained time on the descent, but there was an uphill finish that would have been to Bernal's advantage, so who knows.

Weather and other stuff can intervene- that's bike racing.

Or he would have fallen off. Or Kruijswijk would have put him on 5 minutes because he saved his energy for the last climb.

The organization can never go there, no one knows for sure, they can't deal with wat probably would have happened, they can only deal with what happened so far.

Maybe the Badger knows a thing or two about the TDF.

https://www.velonews.com/2019/07/tou...hinault_496459

Look at the date.

If anything, the cancellation gave Julian a chance at staying on the podium. Whether he closed the gap going down or not, he was going to get stomped on the final ascent and lose even more time. Certainly more than the 2 minutes he lost as it was.