TDF 2024:- Stage 19: Embrun – Isola 2000, 144.6km ***Spoilers***

Stage 19: Embrun – Isola 2000, 144.6km

July 19th.

Start Time. 11-20BST.

The final mountain stages will start on stage 19, with a high ride in the southern Alps. Although the stage is only 144.6km long, the riders will climb 4,400 metres in total. Starting in Embrun, the peloton will head northeast to Guillestre for the intermediate sprint before turning south to tackle three above 2,000-metre climbs starting with the Col de Vars. Embrun is a regular on the Tour de France. The town hosted five stage starts since 2008. The biggest test will be the summit of La Bonette, the highest road in France at an altitude of 2,802 metres. The road, which actually is the Col de la Bonette Restefond with an extension underneath the Cime de la Bonette – or, in English, Peak of the Bonette -, was built in 1961 and was included in the Tour the following year. Federico Bahamontes was the first rider to crest the Alps giant.

The 1993 Tour de France also featured the Cime de la Bonette in a race that finished almost 60 kilometres later in Isola 2000. The stage was won by Toni Rominger, who outgunned Miguel Indurain in a two-up sprint.

Profile.

Map.

The Climbs.

Col de Vars (HC)

Cime de la Bonette (HC)

Isola 2000 (Cat. 1)

Final Kilometres.

In nearly 40 kilometres, riders descend to Isola, where they face the final challenge. The climb to Isola 2000 rises over 16.1 kilometres with an average of 7.1%. The first half is the toughest, especially the first two kilometres. Later on, the seventh and eighth kilometres throw in average gradients of 10% and 9%, respectively.

What to Expect.

At this point in the race, all anybody is interested in is the GC battle, so it's a little pointless to speculate about the chances of the breakaway, beyond the fact that it will take a great climber to make it to the finish ahead of the race's top dogs.

Embrun

Stage town for the 6th time Canton chef-lieu in Hautes-Alpes (05)

Population: 6,500

EMBRUN AND CYCLING

In 2013, it was a “yellowman” who stood out. By winning the time trial between Embrun and Chorges, Chris Froome put even more distance between himself and his rivals to take the title for good in the 100th edition of the Tour de France. In 2008, Carlos Sastre won the stage and the Yellow Jersey at l'Alpe-d'Huez after starting in Embrun. In that edition, the town had the privilege of hosting two stage starts, the first of which ended in Prato Nevoso with the victory of Australian Simon Gerrans. In 1973, the riders headed for Nice, where Spaniard Vicente Lopez Carril claimed the first of his three Tour stage victories.

Specialities: honey, trout farming, cheeses, game, fruit jam tarts, apples from the Alpes de Haute-Durance.

Wild Spinach Lasagne

A traditional dish from the Valgaudemar and Champsaur regions, this specialty takes its name from the wild tetragones, whose leaves take on the shape of donkey ears when they reach maturity. It is a gratin of wild spinach and lasagne, or a pancake pastry. Traditionally, small pasta rounds are cut into pieces and placed in boiling salted water. The pasta is then alternated with a layer of spinach cooked in its own juice, a layer of béchamel sauce, then a layer of grated tome cheese.

Isola 2000

Stage resort for the first time

Mountain resort in the Alpes-Maritimes (06)

Population: 700

ISOLA 2000 AND CYCLING

The highest mountain resort in the Southern Alps played host to the Tour de France in 1993 for a stage that saw Tony Rominger raise his arms, having broken away in the finale with Miguel Indurain. The Spaniard consolidated his yellow jersey, graciously leaving the laurels of the day to the Swiss rider. Rominger had nonetheless achieved the feat of winning two Alpine stages in a row, having won the previous day in Serre-Chevalier.

Specialities: Vacherie de Chastillon (cheese and charcuterie), Mercantour cheeses (carline, miche gavotte, tommes). Specialities from Nice.