Tour de France<\/a> organisers have edited what was set to be an enthralling day in the Alps to avoid cow culling taking place near the stage 19 route. <\/p>\n The discovery of a contagious disease amongst cattle has meant the route will be shortened from 129.9km to just 95km with two climbs \u2013 the 11.3km Cote d\u2019Hery-sur-Ugine and the 13.7km Col des Saisies \u2013 removed.<\/p>\n An outbreak of nodular dermatitis\u00a0meant the affected herd has needed to be culled and race organisers have taken the decision to divert the route in light of \u201cdistress\u201d amongst those farmers concerned.<\/p>\n It follows yesterday\u2019s stage 18 which promised high drama and delivered. But despite their best efforts, Jonas Vingegaard<\/a> and Visma-Lease a Bike were unable to break the resolve of Tadej Pogacar<\/a>.<\/p>\n The yellow jersey extended his lead over the Dane by another 11 seconds<\/a>, leaving he and his team with a mountain to climb, both physically and metaphorically, on stage 19, the final mountain stage of this year\u2019s race.<\/p>\n Pogacar rode a conservative race to simply consolidate his lead, allowing Visma to shred the race down on the day\u2019s second hors-categorie climb, the Col de la Madeleine, before a regrouping on the valley road to Col de la Loze. <\/p>\n That wasn\u2019t quite what Visma had in mind and after all their efforts there was nothing they could do to distance Pogacar, who took control on the final climb and launched a sprint for second place on the top of the fearsome Col de la Loze. <\/p>\n First place went to Australian climber Ben O\u2019Connor<\/a>, who endured a torrid start to this year\u2019s race, crashing and losing time on the very first stage and watching his GC ambitions of a top-five finish go up in smoke. <\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n Ben O\u2019Connor emerged victorious out of the mist (AP)<\/p>\n But he rode superbly on stage 18 to get into the day\u2019s breakaway, sticking with the GC group as they absorbed the escapees on the Col de la Madeleine, before attacking again on the valley road, and finally dropping his sole remaining companion, Einer Rubio, with 16km left of the final climb. <\/p>\n He continued to time-trial his way to the finish and his second Tour de France stage win, while behind, Pogacar and Vingegaard were locked together until the final few hundred metres – along with Oscar Onley, whose superb Tour continued<\/a> as he moved within 22 seconds of Florian Lipowitz and the final podium place.<\/p>\n The Dane was distanced as the yellow jersey stormed off to banish his past demons from the Col de la Loze, where he cracked in the 2023 Tour, and it was Vingegaard this time picking up the pieces. He insisted \u201cthe Tour isn\u2019t over, still\u201d at the finish, and while that\u2019s true, he is rapidly running out of time to haul back his four-and-a-half minute deficit. <\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n Tadej Pogacar has ridden himself ever-closer to a fourth Tour de France title (AFP\/Getty)<\/p>\n Stage 19 is arguably his final chance, but the shortening of the stage of will offer Vingegaard even less opportunity to attack,<\/p>\n In a statement ahead of the Albertville<\/a>–La Plagne<\/a> stage, the Tour said: \u201cThe discovery of an outbreak of contagious nodular dermatitis affecting cattle in a herd located specifically in the Col des Saisies has necessitated the culling of the animals.<\/p>\n \u201cIn light of the distress experienced by the affected farmers and in order to preserve the smooth running of the race, it has been decided, in agreement with the relevant authorities, to modify the route of Stage 19 (Albertville\u2013La Plagne) and to avoid the ascent to the Col des Saisies.<\/p>\n \u201cThe ceremonial start will take place as planned at the exit of Albertville<\/a>. After a 7km parade, riders will head towards the D925, where the official start will be given.<\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n Vingegaard was unable to drop Pogacar (AFP\/Getty)<\/p>\n \u201cThe race will then rejoin the original route shortly before Beaufort<\/a> (at km 52.4 on the original schedule).<\/p>\n \u201cDue to this change, which notably bypasses the Col des Saisies, the stage will now cover a total distance of\u00a095km instead of the originally planned 129.9km.\u201d<\/p>\n Route map and profile<\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n Tour de France \u2013 the new stage 19 map (letour) open image in gallery<\/p>\n The original stage 19 profile featuring five categorised climbs in the Alps (letour) open image in gallery<\/p>\n The new stage 19 profile \u2013 with the first two climbs removed (letour)<\/p>\n Start time<\/p>\n Stage 19 begins at 2.45pm local time (1.45pm BST) and is set to conclude around 5.20pm local time (4.20pm BST). <\/p>\n Prediction<\/p>\n![\"Ben](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI259988688.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Tadej](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI259991449.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Vingegaard](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI259980667.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Tour](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/stage-19-map-2025.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/stage-19-profile-2025.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/stage-19-tdf.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n