Friday 24 July – Tour de France stage 19: Gap → Alpe d'Huez (127.9 km)

Route

The nineteenth stage connects Gap with Alpe d'Huez over 127.9 kilometres. With 3,500 metres of climbing spread across four categorised ascents, this is a compact mountain stage. Alpe d'Huez features on the Tour programme for the first time since 2022 as a summit finish for the men.

Immediately after the start in Gap, the Col Bayard (4.8 km at 7.2%, category 2) begins, with its summit at km 4.8 at 1,246 metres. Directly afterwards, at km 18.0, the Col du Noyer (7.2 km at 8.5%, category 1) starts, with its summit at km 25.2 at 1,664 metres. After the long descent follows a varied section of around 70 kilometres through the Dévoluy and along the Lac du Sautet.

At km 93.8, the Col d'Ornon (5.4 km at 6.4%, category 2) begins, with its summit at km 99.2 at 1,371 metres. After the descent towards Bourg d'Oisans, the final climb begins at km 114.1: Alpe d'Huez (13.8 km at 8.1%, HC). The 21 hairpin bends lead to the finish at 1,850 metres altitude. The steepest sections are in the first 2 kilometres and around the tenth and eleventh bends.

Final kilometres

The ascent of Alpe d'Huez begins at km 114.1 from Bourg d'Oisans. The road climbs 13.8 kilometres at an average of 8.1% to the finish at 1,850 metres. The most difficult passages are in the first 2 kilometres and around the tenth and eleventh bends. There is no flat sprint finish: the finish line lies on the plateau of the ski resort at 1,850 metres altitude.

Recent editions

The Tour de France last finished at Alpe d'Huez in 2022, in stage 12. Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) won solo from the early breakaway (beating Chris Froome, which was his last top-result as a professional cyclist). In 2018, Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) won on the Alpe while also wearing the yellow jersey. In 2015, Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) was the strongest on the Alpe. Christophe Riblon (AG2R La Mondiale) won in 2013. Pierre Rolland (Europcar) triumphed in 2011. Between 2022 and 2026, Alpe d'Huez was absent from the Tour programme as a summit finish for the men for three editions.

Scenarios

At 127.9 kilometres, this is a short mountain stage. The Col Bayard and Col du Noyer early in the stage provide a tough warm-up. After a long intermediate section, the Col d'Ornon serves as the direct approach to the final climb. Climbers with high power output on long ascents have the best cards on Alpe d'Huez. The final climb is long enough to launch attacks far from the finish. The climb record on the classic ascent from Bourg d'Oisans belongs to Marco Pantani: 36:40, set in 1995. In 2022, the front of the peloton climbed the Alpe in 39:08, the fastest time in sixteen years. Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) is the dominant climber in this Tour and therefore the logical favourite for the stage and an attack on that record.

Local

Gap is the capital of the Hautes-Alpes department (05), at 735 metres altitude, and one of the highest-situated prefecture cities in France. The Tour de France last finished in Gap in 2019, stage 17, won by Matteo Trentin. The finish is at Alpe d'Huez, on the territory of the municipality of Huez, Isère department (38). The 21 hairpin bends are each named after a stage winner on the Alpe. The first Tour de France finish at Alpe d'Huez dates from 1952, won by Fausto Coppi.