Tour de France 2019: Bernal takes yellow in shortened race

The action-packed 19th stage comes suddenly to a halt in the descent of the Col de l'Iseran. The times at the summit are taken, as the weather conditions in Val d'Isère are dangerous. Egan Bernal wins the shortened race and will be the new maillot jaune ahead of Julian Alaphilippe and Geraint Thomas. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 19th stage Tour de France 2019

1. Egan Bernal (col)
2. Simon Yates (gbr) + 0.13
3. Warren Barguil (fra) + 0.40
4. Laurens De Plus (bel) + 0.58
5. Steven Kruijswijk (nld) s.t.
6. Geraint Thomas (gbr) s.t.
7. Emanuel Buchmann (ger) s.t.
8. Vicenzo Nibali (ita) s.t.
9. Rigoberto Uran (col) s.t.
10. Mikel Landa (spa) s.t.

GC after stage 19
1. Egan Bernal (col)
2. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) + 0.45
3. Geraint Thomas (gbr) + 1.11
4. Steven Kruijswijk (nld) + 1.23
5. Emanuel Buchmann (ger) + 1.50
6. Mikel Landa (spa) + 4.30
7. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 5.09
8. Nairo Quintana (col) + 5.17
9. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 6.25
10. Richie Porte (aus) + 6.28

Race report
Nibali, Dan Martin, Bibao and Herrada escape at kilometre 7. On the second climb, Montée d’Aussois, a huge chasing group rejoins them. Meanwhile, Pinot is suffering from a muscular lesion and he loses minutes before he abandons the race.

Caruso is the first rider over the Montée d’Aussois and Col de le Madeleine.

The lead group is 30 seconds clear on the Col de l’Iseran when Quintana drops back. Thomas ups the pace 6 kilometres before the summit. Kruijswijk counter-attacks and Alaphilippe cracks. Now it is Bernal turn to strike.

Bernal jumps clear to join the remnants of the front group: Barguil, Yates (Simon), Nibali and Uran. Nibali and Uran can’t follow the pace, while Bernal puts 30 seconds into Thomas, Kruijswijk, De Plus and Buchmann. He takes the virtual race lead and drops Yates in the last kilometres before the top.

The Colombian reaches the crest almost 1 minute ahead of Thomas et al and Alaphilippe is 2 minutes in arrears. Yates rejoins Bernal in the descent before the race comes to an abrupt halt.

Snow in Val d’Isère causes the ASO to stop the stage from the top of the Col de l’Iseran. Bernal is the new leader and Alaphilippe drops to second place. Thomas now sits in third.

Another interesting read: original route 19th stage 2019 Tour de France.