Tadej Pogačar Sets New Alpe d’Huez Record in Tour de France Stage 19

Tadej Pogačar continued his campaign to redefine cycling on Friday with a record-breaking climb at the Tour de France. He set a new time record on the iconic Alpe d’Huez, winning stage 19 with an outstanding performance. Pogačar started the climb trailing by over three minutes but completed it in 35 minutes and 27 seconds, surpassing Marco Pantani’s previous record.

Earlier in the day, the competition for the polka dot jersey was fierce. Richard Carapaz and Valentin Paret-Peintre led a significant group, with Paret-Peintre earning maximum King of the Mountains points on the Col Bayard and Col du Noyer.

Mads Pedersen took the intermediate sprint, and the breakaway group advanced toward Alpe d’Huez. When they reached Bourg-d’Oisans, they had a lead of about three and a half minutes, prompting Pogačar to act. With more than 12 kilometers left and a gap of 3:20 to the leaders, he teamed up with Adam Yates before pursuing the stage win alone.

Pogačar caught up with Carapaz and Lenny Martinez with 1.8 kilometers to go but managed to break away with 800 meters left. His climb time of 35 minutes and 27 seconds was nearly one and a half minutes faster than Pantani’s historic ascents in 1995 and 1997.

Pogačar jumped into action at the base of the climb, leaving his rivals behind. He began to erase the breakaway’s advantage as he approached the barriers with four kilometers to go. Despite having some team members struggling with illness, Pogačar was at his best.

The Slovenian reached the summit to find the time well below expectations, seven percent faster than second-place Remco Evenepoel. At the top, he celebrated with teammate Isaac del Toro.

Paul Seixas, who finished ninth on the stage, could only express amazement at Pogačar’s performance.

Impact on General Classification

Pogačar’s aggressive tactics reshaped the top 10 standings. Lenny Martinez’s strategic position in the break helped him move into the top five, bypassing Mattias Skjelmose and Juan Ayuso. Skjelmose and Ayuso both struggled, with Ayuso needing help after the climb.

Remco Evenepoel solidified his second place with a strong performance, despite not being able to match Pogačar’s pace. Isaac del Toro retained his white jersey and third spot in the GC. Paul Seixas remains fourth, close behind Del Toro. Carapaz moved up to eighth, with Pinarello Q36.5’s Tom Pidcock dropping to ninth.

The first two positions in the GC seem secure, but the competition for the third step on the podium and the white jersey intensifies. Del Toro holds the edge, but Seixas will have another opportunity tomorrow.

Breakaway Efforts

The breakaway hit Alpe d’Huez with a lead of around three minutes and 20 seconds. Thymen Arensman and others tried for a stage victory, but it proved challenging. Richard Carapaz appeared the strongest on the climb, taking the combativity award and the King of the Mountains lead by one point over Pogačar.

Despite strong performances from Carapaz, Lenny Martinez, and Sepp Kuss, Pogačar managed to overtake them by the finish. Martinez’s impressive final push secured second place, with Carapaz finishing third.

Challenges from Fans

Alpe d’Huez was swarming with fans, presenting challenges that affected the riders. Despite extra efforts from organizers to control the crowd, it was impossible to cover the entire route due to its length.

Richard Carapaz faced challenges, nearly getting clipped by a fan and hindered by the dense crowd. Pogačar also had to navigate through the spectators, as did Remco Evenepoel. Unfortunately, Einer Rubio’s stage ended prematurely when he crashed into a support vehicle, unable to continue to Paris.

Results and Upcoming Stages

Stage 19 Top 10:

1. Tadej Pogačar | UAE Team Emirates (3:17:57)
2. Lenny Martinez | Bahrain Victorious (+6s)
3. Richard Carapaz | EF Education – EasyPost (+9s)
4. Sepp Kuss | Visma-Lease a Bike (+1m 14s)
5. Tobias Halland Johannessen | Uno-X Mobility (+2m 7s)
6. Remco Evenepoel | Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe (+2m 29s)
7. Isaac Del Toro | UAE Team Emirates (+2m 41s)
8. Mattias Skjelmose | Lidl Trek (+2m 45s)
9. Paul Seixas | Decathlon CMA CGM Team (+2m 45s)
10. Harold Tejada | XDS Astana Team (+3m 22s)

General Classification:

1. Tadej Pogačar | UAE Team Emirates (67:53:00)
2. Remco Evenepoel | Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe (+7m 11s)
3. Isaac Del Toro | UAE Team Emirates (+9m 42s)
4. Paul Seixas | Decathlon CMA CGM Team (+10m 6s)
5. Lenny Martinez | Bahrain – Victorious (+13m 00s)
6. Mattias Skjelmose | Lidl Trek (+13m 9s)
7. Juan Ayuso | Lidl Trek (+15m 58s)
8. Richard Carapaz | EF Education-Easypost (+21m 15s)
9. Tom Pidcock | Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling (+21m 30s)
10. Jordan Jegat | TotalEnergies (+23m 21s)

The Tour de France will continue with Stage 20, featuring another climb up Alpe d’Huez with an even steeper ascent. Riders will face over 5,600 meters of climbing, promising a challenging day ahead.