Stage 19 looked likely to be a day for the fast men with no chance, but if the opportunists managed to punish the pure sprinters, then there was an obvious contender: Wout van Aert. However, it was Belgian team-mate Christophe Laporte who had the chance to go for glory, and he did.
“I still can’t believe it, I’m very happy. I can’t believe it,” Laporte said after becoming the first winner of a French stage in this year’s Tour de France. team trusted me today, Wout told me today that it was for me more than for him. With three kilometers to go, we made sure Jonas was in a safe place. Then I jumped to go back [to the break] and I threw myself from a long way away, but it’s incredible that it came out”.
The last time Wout van Aert told Laporte the day was his was in Paris-Nice, and we all know how that ended. This time, however, the Belgian’s approval was only the starting point. It was his own instinct and power that saw Laporte get the win he so deserved.
Laporte won the first stage of Paris-Nice earlier this year after going on the attack with teammates Van Aert and Roglič.
“I am very happy for Christophe and very happy for the French. It was a super special win. It was an exciting final,” said team manager Merijn Zeeman at the end. “[Today] it was just about protecting Jonas [Vingegaard]obviously we knew the track very well and that it was tricky with the tight parts and we wanted to hit the front but you see the sprint teams already had to work a lot, also in the last few days, and there was a lack of control.”
After successfully protecting the leader of Jumbo-Visma in yellow through the crosswinds, Van Aert was ever-present towards the front in the clash as the group steadily ate into the gap of a three-man final attack . The green jersey day ended with 3km to go and as the gap to the leaders closed approaching the flame rouge, Laporte overtook what was left of the gap, just a few how many bike lengths, and used his final acceleration as a launch pad to victory in the light uphill final.
“The break almost got it, but obviously Christophe had really good legs, he took the opportunity and followed his instinct,” Zeeman said. “That wasn’t the plan, he was a driver who followed his instincts and got a big payoff.”
Friday’s victory is a fifth for Jumbo-Visma in the team’s extraordinary Tour de France, despite some instances of bad luck. The Dutch team’s remaining six riders head into the final weekend leading the points classification with Wout van Aert, and the overall and mountain classifications with Jonas Vingegaard, both riders also with a pair of stage wins.
“I’ve been very happy in this Tour de France, even though I haven’t had very positive results, just because I’ve enjoyed working with the team and what we’ve achieved,” said Laporte. “Today I was given this opportunity and as a result it has become very special.
“I am very happy, I am at a loss for words. I’m happy to have given the audience something to celebrate and I hope they’re happy for me.”