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Independent Singapore
2 days ago
- Sport
- Independent Singapore
From 80.5 to 57.7 miles: The 19th stage Tour de France shortened due to infected cows
Photo: Instagram/Tour de France The 19th stage of the Tour de France was shortened because cows with a contagious disease were culled near the initial mountainous course. Originally, the route covered 80.5 miles from Albertville to La Plagne, but the stage was reduced to 57.7 miles. The Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) said in a statement: ' The discovery of an outbreak of contagious nodular dermatitis (lumpy skin) affecting cattle in a herd located specifically in the Col des Saisies necessitated the culling of the animals… Given the consternation of the breeders concerned, and in order to maintain the calm of the race, it was decided, in agreement with the authorities, to modify the route of the 19th stage and not to cross the Col des Saisies.' Two of the five climbs were eliminated from the original course, including the 13.7-kilometre Col des Saisies. Moreover, the stage's start was delayed by an hour–it was supposed to start at 2:30 p.m. local time (12:30 GMT), with an anticipated finish time of 5:30 p.m. See also Jack Draper advances to Qatar Open quarter-finals Three-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar was leading the overall standings before the stage, with Denmark's two-time champion Jonas Vingegaard in second place. Stage 19 was Vingegaard's final realistic opportunity to surpass Pogacar and claim the yellow jersey. Tour de France prize money The 2025 Tour de France is not just about the honour of wearing the yellow jersey or winning special awards. Riders also compete for a total prize fund of €2.3 million (S$3.4 million). The largest individual prize is awarded to the cyclist who wins the overall race and secures the yellow jersey. The rider who wears the yellow jersey each day of the tournament receives a daily bonus of €500, which can accumulate to as much as €10,000 over the course of the 20 stages. Cyclists earn points also for sprints during the race. Competitors strive in every stage to win the green jersey as each sprint awards cash prizes of €1,500 for first place, €1,000 for second place, and €500 for third place. The race's top climber is awarded the polka dot jersey and will receive prize money as well. The cyclists accumulate points for this specific jersey by being the first to reach the summits of hills and mountains. Furthermore, each Tour de France stage awards a total prize of €28,650, and it is distributed among the top 20 finishers. Over the course of the 21 stages, this adds up to more than €600,000 in total prize money. Read more about Tour de France's prize money allocations here. () => { const trigger = if ('IntersectionObserver' in window && trigger) { const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { => { if ( { lazyLoader(); // You should define lazyLoader() elsewhere or inline here // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); } else { // Fallback setTimeout(lazyLoader, 3000); } });
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Tour de France: Tadej Pogacar poised to seal fourth title amid fears of ‘ice rink' finale
Tadej Pogacar exited the final mountain climbs with his lead over Jonas Vingegaard intact and now stands on the threshold of achieving a fourth Tour de France triumph in six seasons. Ireland's Ben Healy remains ninth overall. With the threat of neutralisation due to rain now hanging over the final stage in Paris on Sunday, routed over the cobbled climbs of the Butte Montmartre, the weary Pogacar may be almost home and dry. He leads his long-standing rival Vingegaard by almost four and a half minutes and barring any last day mishaps, the Slovenian's fourth yellow jersey seems assured. Tour organisers ASO confirmed in Pontarlier that any decision on neutralising the final stage would not be taken until Sunday afternoon and possibly during the stage itself. 'Anything can happen,' Pogacar said of the final day's combination of climbing and sprinting, 'but I'm not promising I'll go for it. We'll try to enjoy the yellow jersey in Paris.' Alpecin-Deceuninck's Australian Kaden Groves won the penultimate stage, from Nantua to Pontarlier, after breaking clear of a lead group in the final 16km. 'There's so much pressure in the Tour. All I ever get asked is: 'Am I good enough to win in the Tour?' Well, now I've shown them,' Groves, a stage winner in the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana, said. The decisive action came on the descent of the final climb, the Côte de Longeville, 24km from Pontarlier. In the aftermath of a crash on a tight left-hand bend, Groves was among a group of three who moved clear. The 26-year-old then attacked alone in the final kilometres to win by almost a minute. After well over three thousand kilometres of racing, an ingrained fatigue is now stalking the peloton with numerous riders sharing Pogacar's obvious weariness, without enjoying the rewards of his success. Many admit to being wrung out by a Tour with a draining first 10 days and too many long transfers. 'I feel like a nap as soon as getting on the bus,' the Lidl-Trek rider Toms Skujins said during the Alpine stages. Pogacar said: 'If you look at the power files throughout the whole Tour, it's been really amazing and tough. Even though it was one of the hardest I ever did, I enjoyed it.' Much has also been made of the Tour's decision to augment Sunday's traditional processional laps of the Champs-Élysées with three laps racing over the cobbled climbs in Montmartre. 'I don't think it's a good idea,' Vingegaard said. 'Montmartre seemed very beautiful at the Paris Olympics, with a great atmosphere.' 'But when the riders arrived there, there were 50 in the peloton. Now there will be 150 of us fighting for position on a very narrow climb. It's going to add more stress than we'd like.' However, the threat of rain overshadows the plan and even the Tour's director of racing, Thierry Gouvenou, acknowledged that the Parisian cobbles can be treacherous when wet. 'We know with the slightest drop of rain, Paris is a real ice rink,' he said before the Tour. 'We saw it in the Olympic Games time trial. It can turn into a catastrophe.' If it does rain, then the Tour is likely to 'freeze' the overall standings, to ensure that the general classification is not affected by a last-day crash. 'The stage will be run, but the time will be frozen,' Gouvenou said. Others have been dismayed by a Tour route that failed to crack the seemingly unflagging Pogacar, but instead shattered the reserves of many in the peloton. 'The transfers have been longer and more poorly organised than any I have ever witnessed in some 20 Tours,' Jonathan Vaughters, manager of the EF Education EasyPost team said. 'Instead of trying to progress into a modern professional sport, ASO is looking for ways to regress the sport backwards in time. Ultimately, taking care of the athletes leads to better recovery, better health, and better racing.' Guardian
Japan Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- Japan Today
Arensman wins 19th stage of Tour de France; Pogačar moves closer to title
Netherlands' Thymen Arensman crosses the finish line to win the nineteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 93.1 kilometers (57.85 miles) with start in Albertville and finish in La Plagne, France, Friday, July 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) cycling 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 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. '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 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. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Local France
3 days ago
- Sport
- Local France
How to watch the Tour de France climax in Paris
The final stage of the 2025 Tour de France – the first to be wholly contained in France since 2010 – is a 132.3km run from Mantes-la-Ville in Yvelines to the finish line on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. It takes place on Sunday, July 27th. Here's the final stage route. Image: Tour de France / ASO The caravan starts wending its way along the generally flat route at 2.10pm, with the race proper beginning at 4.10pm. Depending on the amount of celebrating and levels of end-of-race leisureliness, riders are due to reach the Côte de Bazemont at around 4.40pm, and the Château de Versailles at 5.20pm. Advertisement Paris then hoves into view shortly after 5.30pm, and the riders hit the Champs-Élysées for the first time around 5.50pm. The first climb of Côte de la Butte Montmartre - which takes them in front of Sacre Coeur cathedral - is due from 6.30pm, and the big finish is expected shortly before 7.30pm. Image: Tour de France / ASO There's usually a bit of a party atmosphere among the riders early on in this closing stage – who can blame them at the end of three weeks of racing? – so, if you're watching on TV, expect to see riders sipping champagne and taking it relatively easily (for an elite athlete value of 'relatively easily') along the mostly flat route. Image: Tour de France / ASO The extra ride through Montmarte was added in an echo of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic cycle races, which attracted tens of thousands of spectators to line the route. The peloton will tackle the climb three times, after a triple lap of the Champs-Élysées, before racing to the finish back on the famous street to mark the 50th anniversary of the grand old race's first-ever finish there. We really recommend heading down if you are in Paris this weekend - even if you have little to no interest in cycling, the atmosphere is likely to be incredible. READ ALSO : 7 reasons to watch the Tour de France (even if you have no interest in cycling)✎ But what's in store for fans lining the route? The caravan Since 1930, la Caravane pulicitaire has been a key part of the day's racing. It's a festive and creative parade that follows the route of the stage a couple of hours before the racers arrive. It takes 30 minutes or so for 10km long la Caravane to pass a particular point. Floats representing 30 different brands, as well as information cars, pass by flinging promotional gifts and treats to roadside fans - expect everything from snacks to hats. Security Some 3,000 police will be on duty in Paris on the day, with a high-security perimeter in place from 7am along the Champs-Élysées and in the Madeleine district. There will be no public access to several streets, including rue Puget and rue Coustou, while some Metro stations will be closed. As well as national police and gendarmes, security will be provided by race organisers ASO, and additional municipal officers will also be on duty. Advertisement Road closures Traffic restrictions will be in place around the perimeter of the Champs-Élysées – police headquarters is urging road users to avoid the area. From Saturday, parking will be prohibited on the route taken by the riders throughout the Yvelines département, while parking will be prohibited on the Paris section of the route and all roads crossing the Avenue des Champs-Élysées from 2pm on the day of the final stage. In the capital, traffic will be prohibited from 9.30am until 11pm on rue de Presbourg, rue de Tilsit, avenue de Friedland, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, rue Saint-Honoré, rue de l'Echelle, rue de Rivol, place du Carrousel, quai des Tuileries, pont Royal, quai Anatole France, quai d'Orsay, pont des Invalides, place du Canada, rue François 1er, avenue George V, and rue Vernet. And the lower part of the Avenue des Champs-Élysées will also be closed to vehicles between the Place de la Concorde and Place Clemenceau. Advertisement Public transport The City of Paris and the capital's public transport operator RATP have announced the closure of several Metro stations in the capital on Sunday. Stations closed all day: Tuileries Station (line 1); Concorde (lines 1, 8 and 12); Champs Élysées Clemenceau (lines 1 and 13); Franklin D Roosevelt (lines 1 and 9); George V (line 1); Charles de Gaulle-Étoile (lines 1, 2 and 6, RER A); Argentine (line 1); Madeleine (lines 8, 12 and 14). Stations closed from 1pm: Villiers (lines 2 and 3); Rome (line 2); Place de Clichy (lines 2 and 13); Blanche (line 2) The above Metro lines will still run, they just won't stop at those stations. The Montmartre funicular will also be out of action on the day, due to the triple ascent of the Butte Montmartre. It's summer – what about cafe terraces? Outdoor cafés in Montmartre can remain open until 3pm – but then all outdoor terraces along the route must be removed, and cafés and restaurants closed. TV If you can't make it to Paris, the Tour will of course be shown on French TV - France 2 and France 3 will have rolling coverage of the final stages. And what about the women's race? The Women's Tour de France gets under way in Brittany on Saturday, July 26th, and finishes with a 124.1km mountain stage from Praz-sur-Arly to Châtel, in Haute-Savoie, on Sunday, August 3rd. That's worth your support, too.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Tour de France Femmes heads into mountains for 2025
When Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney held off a spectacular chase from Demi Vollering on Alpe d'Huez last summer to win the Tour de France Femmes yellow jersey by four seconds, it was one of the most dramatic days in the recent history of women's is no wonder then that race organisers ASO have added even more mountains to the 2025 edition of the race, which begins this Saturday in Brittany before travelling southwest through the Massif Central to the Alps. This year's Tour features a record 17,240m of climbing, with three days in the high mountains packed into the final four stages. It is also the longest edition since the race was brought back in 2022, up to nine stages from eight last summer."The level in women's cycling is rising and that's why we have nine stages instead of eight. And nine hard ones," said race director Marion Rousse when the route was unveiled in Paris last first two stages are typically Breton in style, with barely a stretch of flat road in profiles resembling spring classics which could see general classification action right from the go. Back-to-back flat stages for the sprinters follow before the road starts trending Col du Beal on stage six is the first major mountain of the race, with the queen stage on day eight finishing atop the highest point of this year's Tour - the 18.6km-long, 2,000m altitude Col de la then there's the Col du Joux Plane firmly in the middle of the final day. Who are the contenders? After missing out by the narrowest of margins last August, Vollering is the rider with the stand-out pedigree this year and she comes in as the favourite to add to the yellow jersey she won in Dutchwoman, who moved to French outfit FDJ-Suez last winter, already has 10 victories in 2025, four of those general classification wins including the red jersey at the Vuelta Espana. Vollering skipped the Giro d'Italia to train at altitude in preparation and has the support of a formidable team that includes climbers Evita Muzic - fourth at last year's Tour - Juliette Labous and Elise number of strong challengers Vollering will face reflects the growing depth in the sport and narrowing of margins at the returns intent on defending her title with her form trending upwards after a bad crash in the spring hampered her early season, while Elisa Longo Borghini hopes to carry the same legs that saw her win her second Giro title a fortnight ago from Italy straight into France. Movistar rouleur Marlen Reusser is another who has been trading blows with Vollering through 2025 - finishing a minute behind her in second place at the Vuelta, but beating her to the Tour de Suisse title a few weeks later. Olympic mountain bike champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot carries French hopes for a home winner. Ferrand-Prevot has won 15 world titles - although all but one came in off-road disciplines - and has made no secret of the fact that winning yellow is the reason why she has switched back to the road after seven seasons away. In April she produced a stellar solo display to win Paris-Roubaix and her team manager Rutger Tijssen said this week that she is "completely ready physically and mentally" to do so again at the Belgian Lotte Kopecky's much-awaited tilt at the yellow jersey has been hit by a back injury which saw her forced to withdraw from the wore yellow for six stages and finished runner-up in the 2023 Tour without, in her own words, really trying to - and this year has thrown all her focus and preparation into utilising her all-round credentials to contend. She leads a strong SD Worx-Protime team that also features Anna van der Breggen, who returned to the peloton in January three years after retiring having previously dominated the sport. The team say both are to target stage wins and take the GC "day to day" but writing either off for yellow is surely a mistake. Who else to watch? Fresh off winning the British road race title less than a month ago in what was the first professional win of her career, Millie Couzens will be wearing her new national champion's jersey as one of four British riders in the her Fenix-Deceunick team-mate Flora Perkins and Visma's Imogen Wolff - who at 19 is the youngest rider of the 154 starters in the race - are all making their Tour debuts, while Picnic PostNL rider Pfeiffer Georgi is likely to be eyeing a stage win in the opening days after a crash ended her Tour earlier last Lorena Wiebes remains the fastest rider in the peloton and has the most wins so far in 2025 with 14, but she will face stiff competition from the likes of Charlotte Kool (Picnic PostNL) and last year's green jersey winner Marianne Vos in the points classification. Stage-by-stage list Saturday, 26 July - stage one: Vannes - Plumelec, 78.8kmSunday, 27 July - stage two: Brest - Quimper, 110.4km Monday, 28 July - stage three: La Gacilly - Angers, 163.5km Tuesday, 29 July - stage four: Saumur - Poitiers, 130.7kmWednesday, 30 July - stage five: Chasseneuil-du-Poitou Futuroscope - Gueret, 165.8kmThursday, 31 July - stage six: Clermont-Ferrand - Ambert, 123.7kmFriday, 1 August - stage seven: Bourg-en-Bresse - Chambery, 159.7kmSaturday, 2 August - stage eight: Chambery - Saint Francois Longchamp - Col de la Madeleine, 111.9kmSunday, 3 August - stage nine: Praz-sur-Arly - Chatel, 124.1km
