Arensman wins 19th stage of Tour de
France, Pogačar moves closer to title
[July 26, 2025]
LA PLAGNE, France (AP) — Dutch rider Thymen Arensman launched
a daring solo attack on a long final climb and held on grimly to win
the 19th stage of the Tour de France on Friday.
Although race leader Tadej Pogačar took a step closer to a fourth
Tour title, the Slovenian star could not catch Arensman. He finished
the stage in third place behind Dane Jonas Vingegaard, who just beat
Pogačar to the line.
It was a rare success for the two-time Tour winner Vingegaard over
Pogačar in this year's race but ultimately made little difference,
since Pogačar is 4 minutes, 24 seconds ahead of Vingegaard with two
stages left.
Vingegaard could not drop Pogačar on Friday's shortened stage, which
featured a 19.1-kilometer (11.8-mile) finish up to the ski resort of
La Plagne.
Arensman had shown his climbing ability with a stunning solo effort
last Saturday to win a mammoth mountain stage.
He made his move this time with 13 kilometers left. Pogačar and
Vingegaard marked each other at first and chose not to follow.
By the time they did, it was too late and Arensman won the stage by
2 seconds.
“Tadej and Jonas are the strongest in the world, almost aliens, and
I'm human," the 25-year-old Arensman said. "I can't believe I beat
them today. I tried to not look behind.”
Moments after crossing the line, Arensman put his hands on his face
and wept as he sat on the ground against a crash barrier, panting
heavily with exhaustion.
“I'm absolutely destroyed, I can't believe it. To win one stage from
the breakaway was already unbelievable,” he said. “But now to do it
against the strongest riders in the world, it feels like I'm
dreaming.”
Stage shortened after cows infected
Stage 19 was shortened after cows infected by a contagious disease
were culled in an area along the mountainous route.
It was meant to be 129.9 kilometers long but trimmed to 93.1
kilometers. Two of five climbs were removed, including the 13.7
kilometer Col des Saisies — where an outbreak of nodular dermatitis
(lumpy skin) affected a herd of cows.
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Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard, wearing the best climber's dotted
jersey, catches his breath after the nineteenth stage of the Tour de
France cycling race over 129.9 kilometers (80.7 miles) with start in
Albertville and finish in La Plagne, France, Friday, July 25, 2025.
(Anne-Christine Poujoulat/Pool Photo via AP)
“The discovery of an outbreak of contagious nodular
dermatitis affecting cattle in a herd located specifically in the
Col des Saisies necessitated the culling of the animals,” race
organizer ASO said. “It was decided, in agreement with the
authorities, to modify the route.”
However, the stage still featured two Hors catégorie ascents — the
hardest level of climbing — with a 12.6 kilometer ascent up Col du
Pré followed by the trek up La Plagne.
Primož Roglič, the 2020 Tour runner-up and a record-equaling
four-time Spanish Vuelta champion, attacked near the top of Col du
Pré but then faded well away.
Saturday's penultimate stage
Saturday's 20th stage is a hilly 184.2-kilometer route through
eastern France finishing in Pontarlier.
Sunday's 21st and final stage sees three climbs up Montmartre hill —
a short, sharp ascent which featured at the Paris Olympics last year
— before a traditional finish on the Champs-Élysées.
Around 3,000 police officers will be deployed on Sunday to ensure
security.
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