Results 18th stage Tour de France 2019
1. Nairo Quintana (col)
2. Romain Bardet (fra) + 1.35
3. Alexey Lutsenko (kaz) + 2.28
4. Lennard Kämna (ger) + 2.58
5. Damiano Caruso (ita) + 3.00
6. Tiesj Benoot (bel) + 4.46
7. Michael Woods (can) s.t.
8. Egan Bernal (col) s.t.
9. Serge Pauwels (bel) s.t.
10. Steven Kruijswijk (nld) + 5.18
11. Emanuel Buchmann (ger) + 5.18
12. Thibaut Pinot (fra) s.t.
13. Geraint Thomas (gbr) s.t.
14. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) s.t.
15. Rigoberto Uran (col)
16. Mikel Landa (spa) s.t.
GC after stage 18
1. Julian Alaphilippe (fra)
2. Egan Bernal (col) + 1.30
3. Geraint Thomas (gbr) + 1.35
4. Steven Kruijswijk (nld) + 1.47
5. Thibaut Pinot (fra) + 1.50
6. Emanuel Buchmann (ger) + 2.14
7. Nairo Quintana (col) + 3.54
8. Mikel Landa (spa) + 4.54
9. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 5.33
10. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 5.58
Race report
Périchon opens up a small gap on the first climb, Côte des Moiselles Coiffées, and Lutsenko bridges across. The Kazach is the first rider at the summit.
The peloton keeps chasing and Périchon sits up after 30 kilometres. Yates (Adam), Impey and Kämna rejoin Lutsenko before a group of 30 riders chases them down at kilometre 45. The most prominent attackers are KOM leader Wellens, Bardet, Quintana, Woods, Pauwels, Henao, Izagirre and Caruso.
The 34 crest the Col de Vars 7.30 minutes ahead of the peloton. Wellens outsprints Bardet for the mountain points.
Van Avermaet attacks before the Col d’Izoard and Bernard joins him, while the Frenchman goes alone 5 kilometres from the top. Just before the summit Caruso and Bardet overhaul him in a sprint for mountain points. The GC group is 5 minutes in arrears.
A group with KOM leader joins the leaders: Bernard, Bardet, Caruso, Quintana, Lutsenko, Woods, Yates, Pauwels and Kämna.
Van Avermaet and Pauwels launch a duo-attack to the foot of the Galibier. Woods goes with them, while Kämna, Lutsenko, Cherel and Benoot bridge across a little later. Bardet, Bernard, Quintana en Yates also regain contact with 16 kilometres left to climb.
An acceleration by Cherel and Bardet brings the lead group down to Caruso, Woods, Lutsenko and Quintana. The Colombian heads out alone. He opens up a gap of more than 1 minute.
While Bernal jumps clear in the GC group, Quintana reaches the summit 1.40 minutes ahead of Bardet. Thomas goes after his team mate. Pinot brings the other contenders back to the Welsman’s wheel, but Alaphilippe cracks.
Bernal reaches the crests of the Galibier 5.26 minutes after Quintana, while the group Thomas follows at 5.52 minutes with Alaphilippe another 16 seconds further behind. The yellow jersey restores contact in the descent.
The Colombians fly down the Galibier to perfect results. Quintana wins the race, while Bernal gains 32 seconds on his GC rivals and moves up to second place overall. Geraint Thomas now sits in third.
Another interesting read: route 18th stage 2019 Tour de France.
Tour de France 2019 stage 18: route, profiles, more
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My son, his wife, and I had an upstairs apartment on the final corner in Valloire. Quintana’s arrival was amazing, followed by the rest, and our view was uninterrupted 200 metres from the finish line. We come from Australia, and it was a great experience.