2 mountain stages for Thymen Arensman in the Tour de France 2025

The Alps end and with it almost the Tour de France 2025, and, just like in yesterday's queen stage, there were hardly any movements among the favorites in a stage shortened due to an outbreak of Contagious Nodular Dermatitis in a flock in the Col de Saisies area. Faced with the predictable protests of the affected farmers, the Tour de France, in agreement with the authorities, chose to eliminate the ascent to this port, leaving the stage at just 93 kilometers.

Tadej Pogacar virtual winner of the Tour de France after passing through the Alps

If stage 19 between Albertville and La Plagne was already short, the change of route left the distance at a youth level, something that the cyclists surely appreciated, very worn out after a Tour de France that has been fiercely contested from the first day and has deflated in the fight for the general classification in a passage through the Alps that, in theory, should have offered us great battles for the general classification.

The script of yesterday's stage departure was repeated, with a Lidl-Trek team pulling hard to prevent attacks and set up Jonathan Milan for a new Intermediate Sprint, further securing the green jersey.

RECOMENDADO

Pidcock returns to XCO at the European Championships today: times, favorites and how to watch

New Orbea Oiz 2026: the range is updated with the latest Shimano electronics

How much money cyclists earn in the Tour de France

Italy conquers gold in the Team Relay at the 2025 European Championship

The 2025 Women's Tour de France kicks off with Demi Vollering ready to reclaim her throne

"Maybe I need to crash": the cyclist with the fewest followers on the Tour has some ideas to grow on social media

After that point, the attacks began coinciding with the start of the Col de Pre, and here too, the same story as yesterday repeated itself with a brave Primoz Roglic who set off on an adventure to avoid leaving the Tour de France empty-handed, even though he knew he was jeopardizing his 5th place in the general classification. A group was formed that barely managed to open a gap with a peloton where UAE Team Emirates-XRG was in control, while the Slovenian from Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe set the pace to consolidate the gap, ultimately leaving the ascent to just three riders: him, Lenny Martínez, and Valentin Paret-Paintre.

They would pass this port in the lead as well as the Cormet de Roselend, from which, coming from Col de Pre, only its final part is done, hence the classification as a 2nd category for what is normally a colossus. It started raining on the descent, and in the breakaway, they continued to push knowing that the delicate road surface could give them some valuable seconds, in fact, Primoz Roglic ended up going solo and, by the time he reached Bourg St. Maurice, at the end of the descent, he had gained more than half a minute on the French rider.

But neither of them counted on a stellar Tim Wellens, who not only reduced the main group to its minimum expression but also managed to catch all the escapees even before the start of the final ascent to La Plagne.

Wellens' work was continued by Jhonatan Narváes, but his pace must have seemed insufficient to the Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale team, who had three men in the group. The other Paret-Peintre, Aurelien, and Scotson took turns to pull to take advantage of the fact that Roglic obviously fell behind from this group at the start of the climb, and Kevin Vauquelin was dropped from Cormet de Roselend, giving Felix Gall the opportunity to improve his position in the general classification at the last minute.

Finally, after his teammates dropped back, Felix Gall himself increased the pace, although not with a proper attack but rather an acceleration that Florian Lipowitz took advantage of to secure the third step on the podium. This move brought them closer to Arensman, but without the strength to attack, the only one who accelerated in the last few hundred meters was Jonas Vingegaard, with Roglic behind him, and they couldn't beat Thymen Arensman, who couldn't believe what he had achieved, one of the great stages of the Tour de France, the second after his great victory in the Pyrenees at the finish in Superbagneres.

From here on, the movie was Tadej Pogacar leading, Jonas Vingegaard on his wheel, and behind them Onley and Lipowitz. The Slovenian made a new attack just under 7 km, but it was very timid and had no effect, so the group returned to its configuration until, under the 2 km to go banner, Oscar Onley was dropped, who had been struggling, a situation that prompted Florian Lipowitz to take action to secure the third step on the podium. This move brought them closer to Arensman, but without the strength to attack, the only one who accelerated in the last few hundred meters was Jonas Vingegaard, with Roglic behind him, and they couldn't beat Thymen Arensman, who couldn't believe what he had achieved, one of the great stages of the Tour de France, the second after his great victory in the Pyrenees at the finish in Superbagneres.

With this, the Tour de France is definitively decided, barring accidents, illnesses, and such. Tomorrow, a leg-breaking stage that is 99% certain to be won by the breakaway, and on Sunday, the long-awaited arrival in Paris with the Olympic Games circuit. Stages that should provide excitement for the stage victory but will not change anything in the general classification.