Primoz Roglic (LottoNL-Jumbo) moved into the top 3 overall at the Tour de France after taking victory on the 19th stage. The Slovenian rider went clear on the descent of the Col d’Aubisque to take the win in Laruns. He now sits 2’29” down on yellow jersey holder Geraint Thomas.
Silvan Dillier (AG2R-La Mondiale), Lukas Pöstlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Damien Gaudin (Direct Energie) rode away 5 kilometres after the start in Lourdes. Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott), Bob Jungels (Quick Step) and Tanel Kangert (Astana) then came across to them at km 21. It became a front group of 18 riders and the maximum time gap was 5’07” at km 39 as Katusha-Alpecin paced the peloton to defend Ilnur Zakarin’s twelfth place overall.
12 riders started climbing the Tourmalet together: Yates, Nieve, Alaphilippe, Jungels, Kangert, Barguil, Hardy, G. Izagirre, Amador, Bennati, Slagter, Mollema. Alaphilippe claimed the Souvenir Jacques-Goddet at the summit of the Col du Tourmalet with five other escapees having an advantage of 2’50” over the yellow jersey group led by six riders from Team Sky.
65km before the finish, 11 riders gathered at the front with 3 minutes lead over the yellow jersey group – Nieve, Alaphilippe, Jungels, Kangert, Barguil, G. Izagirre, Amador, Zakarin, Landa, Majka and Bardet.
Robert Gesink (LottoNL-Jumbo) took over from Team Sky at the head of the pack to reduce the deficit of his team-mate Primoz Roglic who was in contention for the final podium place. Up to Col des Bordères, he brought the gap down to 1’30″.
On the ascent of the Col d’Aubisque, Landa, Bardet, Zakarin and Majka formed a leading group as Roglic attacked twice with 13 kilometres remaining. He brought Thomas and Dumoulin with him and caught his team-mate Steven Kruijswijk but Chris Froome eventually lost contact with the yellow jersey, leaving Thomas with no assistance 30 kilometres before the end.
With 25 kilometres to go, the defending champion came across with Egan Bernal and Dan Martin. Majka crested the col d’Aubisque in first position. He was brought back by the yellow jersey group with 19 kilometres to go. Roglic took off on the descent and he managed to create a gap with 8 kilometres to go and crossed the line 19″ ahead of Geraint Thomas who extended his lead over all his other rivals through the time bonus.
