The organization of the Tour de France announced Thursday evening that the 19th stage layout, scheduled for Friday, was modified following the slaughter of a herd of cattle. The peloton will not take the collar of the seizures, the stage has been shortened by 34.8 kilometers and the fictitious departure will be given an hour later than expected.
Change on the Tour de France. On the eve of the 19th stage of the Grande Boucle, still scheduled Friday between Albertville and La Plagne and final meeting for climbers during this 112nd edition which seems to be promised at Tadej Pogacar, outgoing winner and triple winner of the event, the organization announced that the layout had been modified in relation to what it should have been initially like.
Thus, contrary to what had been originally planned by director Christian Prudhomme, his assistant Thierry Gouvenou and their teams, the 161 runners still in the running will not cross the Col des Entries, one of the four ascents which appeared on the menu with the Col du Pré, the Roselend Cornet and the final climb to La Plagne. Consequently, this 19th and anti -Pépénulth Step will not offer 129.8 kilometers as it should have been the case but only 95 kilometers.
The slaughter of a herd of cattle at the origin of this change of course …
In the same way, the fictitious departure, which should have been given at 1:30 p.m. will finally be at 2:30 p.m., an hour later than expected. On the other hand, always from Albertville since the city departure and the arrival city remain the same. In the same way as the real departure, which will be given as planned since the D925 after a parade of seven kilometers which will start at the exit of Albertville.
Why this change? The direction of the Tour tells us this Thursday evening that the discovery within a herd located in the col of seizures of a contagious nodular dermatosis home must lead to shoot down the herd of cattle in question. In agreement with the authorities, in order to preserve the serenity of the race and in the face of the dismay of the breeders concerned, it was therefore decided in agreement with the authorities to modify the initial route. And Jonas Vingegaard to see a new opportunity to attack Pogacar.
