"Arensman edges Pogacar and Vingegaard in Tour de France stage 19"

Thymen Arensman Secures Second Victory in Tour de France’s Final Mountain Stage

Thymen Arensman earned his second stage win in this year’s Tour de France after taking advantage of a cautious showdown among the top contenders during Friday’s 19th stage, the last mountainous leg of the race.

The Ineos Grenadiers cyclist, whose team has faced questions regarding a staff member linked to a past anti-doping investigation, broke away in the final ascent to La Plagne. He finished two seconds ahead of Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar, who claimed second and third place, respectively.

Pogacar of Slovenia kept the overall lead and holds a 4-minute 24-second advantage over Vingegaard heading into the final two stages. Barring any major setbacks, he is widely expected to secure his fourth Tour title. Germany’s Florian Lipowitz took fourth place on the shortened stage, strengthening his third-place position overall. He now leads Britain’s Oscar Onley by 1 minute 3 seconds, extending the gap by 41 seconds.

Vingegaard needed a remarkable effort to challenge Pogacar in the Alps’ final mountain test, but the Visma-Lease a Bike rider only attempted a late surge in the last 100 meters, reducing Pogacar’s lead by two seconds. Pogacar, however, remained in firm control of the main group throughout the stage.

Earlier in the race, a leading trio including France’s Lenny Martinez and Valentin Paret Peintre, along with former Tour runner-up Primoz Roglic, reached the Col du Pre with a slim advantage after a strenuous 12.2-kilometer climb at 7.7% gradient.

The peloton, managed by Pogacar’s UAE Emirates-XRG team, stayed within a minute of the leaders. With two kilometers left in the Cormet de Roselend ascent (5.9km at 6.9%), Paret Peintre and Roglic briefly dropped Martinez, but the Bahrain-Victorious rider fought his way back.

Roglic then launched a solo descent into Bourg Saint Maurice, but Martinez and Paret Peintre were quickly overtaken by the chasing group. Roglic, in turn, was caught two kilometers before the final climb and immediately fell behind.

Austria’s Felix Gall, aiming for a top-five finish in Paris, made a move with 14.5 kilometers remaining, prompting responses from Arensman, Pogacar, and Vingegaard. Pogacar later accelerated 14 kilometers from the summit, with only Vingegaard and Arensman able to follow.

Pogacar eventually allowed Arensman to pull ahead, seemingly content with maintaining a steady pace to keep the Dutch rider in sight. However, the Slovenian made no serious attempt to chase a fifth stage victory this year.