Tour de France results: Julian Alaphilippe shocks Geraint Thomas in time-trial to retain yellow jersey

Alaphilippe completed the lumpy 27km course in a time of 35 minutes flat

Tour de France 2019: Stage 11 highlights

Julian Alaphilippe produced the time trial of his life at the Tour de France to extend his lead in the yellow jersey with victory on stage 13 in Pau.

Alaphilippe completed the lumpy 27km course in a time of 35 minutes flat, beating second-placed Geraint Thomas by 14 seconds to extend his lead in yellow to 86 seconds.

It was an outstanding result from the Frenchman, not a renowned time triallist, as he defied expectations that defending champion Thomas would begin to assert his authority over the race.

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On stage 13, an individual time-trial around Pau, the question that has been lurking in the background for the past few days will finally be answered. Geraint Thomas is the only GC rider with real time-trial pedigree, and he will gain time on the yellow jersey of Julian Alaphilippe and the rest of his rivals. The only wonder is, how much?

There have been suggestions of time gaps stretching to as much as two minutes, which would be potentially decisive, but this flat-ish route is only 27.2km and that seems a little excessive. Even so, there is no one in the top 10 with a hinterland quite like the reigning champion, Thomas, who in another life was an Olympic team pursuit champion on the track and a Commonwealth time-trial bronze medallist on the road. He stands to gain time, if not quite the prize of the yellow jersey just yet.

Last year the shoe was on the other foot. Thomas came into the time-trial near the end of the three weeks wearing yellow, and with a lead to protect against the clock specialist Tom Dumoulin. Thomas did so emphatically, timing only 14 seconds behind the powerful Dutchman to seal his Tour de France triumph. This year there is no Dumoulin, who was injured at the Giro, and no Primoz Roglic either, another time-trial expert who expended himself at the Italian Grand Tour in May. Damage limitation was the task for Thomas in 2018; maximum destruction is the goal 12 months later.

Alaphilippe leads the Welshman by 1min 12sec in the general classification and although it is probably too much to think that lead will crumble entirely, we can expect Thomas to take several bites into the Frenchman’s advantage. Alaphilippe was three and a half minutes slower than Thomas in last year’s time-trial, though then he did not have the carrot of the maillot jaune to pull him round.

Thomas’s co-leader within Team Ineos, Egan Bernal, is third overall and will hope to still be on the virtual podium come the end of the day. Of the other four riders who are within two minutes of Alaphilippe – Steven Kruijswijk, Emanuel Buchmann, Enric Mas and Britain’s Adam Yates – it is probably Yates and the Dutchman Kruijswijk who will be fastest and could close the gap to the Colombian.

As for who will win the stage itself, there are several candidates. The hugely talented Wout van Aert already has one stage win in his first Tour and could earn another here. The American Chad Haga won the individual time-trial at the Giro d’Italia in May. Tony Martin is a four-time world time-trial champion. The Australian Rohan Dennis would have been in the reckoning too, but abandoned the race in mysterious circumstances on stage 12.

And then there’s Thomas. He is likely to be in the mix for the stage win just as he was 12 months ago. That is almost a given, but how Alaphilippe copes with the challenge is unknown. He looks in supreme shape, is the world’s No1 ranked road racer, and right now he has that magical motivating power of the yellow jersey on his shoulders. Over 27km in Pau we are about to discover an awful lot more about his credentials to go and win this Tour de France.

Start times (time is local)

1 14-00 Offredo Yoann, Wanty-Gobert

2 14-01 Langeveld Sebastian,EF Education First

3 14-02 Debusschere Jens, Katusha-Alpecin

4 14-03 Martin Tony, Jumbo-Visma

5 14-04 Haga Chad, Sunweb

6 14-05 Asgreen Kasper, Deceuninck – Quick-Step

7 14-06 De Gendt Aimé, Lotto-Soudal

8 14-07 Monfort Maxime, Lotto-Soudal

9 14-08 Scully Tom, EF Education First

10 14-09 Dowsett Alex, Katusha-Alpecin

11 14-10 Greipel André, Arkéa-Samsic

12 14-11 Bak Lars Ytting, Dimension Data

13 14-12 Haller Marco, Katusha-Alpecin

14 14-13 Backaert Frederik, Wanty-Gobert

15 14-14 Mørkøv Michael, Deceuninck – Quick-Step

16 14-15 Cummings Stephen, Dimension Data

17 14-16 Jansen Amund, Jumbo-Visma

18 14-17 Groenewegen Dylan, Jumbo-Visma

19 14-18 Richeze Max, Deceuninck – Quick-Step

20 14-19 Van Melsen Kevin, Wanty-Gobert

21 14-20 Kluge Roger, Lotto-Soudal

22 14-21 Hepburn Michael, Mitchelton-Scott

23 14-22 Bonifazio Niccolo, Total Direct Energie

24 14-23 Bonnet William, Groupama-FDJ

25 14-24 Gougeard Alexis, Ag2r La Mondiale

26 14-25 Bol Cees, Sunweb

27 14-26 Ladagnous Mathieu, Groupama-FDJ

28 14-27 De Kort Koen, Trek-Segafredo

29 14-28 Turgis Anthony, Total Direct Energie

30 14-29 Verona Carlos, Movistar

31 14-30 Juul Jensen, Christopher, Mitchelton-Scott

32 14-31 Pöstlberger Lukas, Bora-Hansgrohe

33 14-32 Vachon Florian, Arkéa-Samsic

34 14-33 Kristoff Alexander, UEA Team Emirates

35 14-34 Lampaert Yves, Deceuninck – Quick-Step

36 14-35 Burghardt Marcus, Bora-Hansgrohe

37 14-36 Gonçalves José, Katusha-Alpecin

38 14-37 Ewan Caleb, Lotto-Soudal

39 14-38 Laengen Vegard, UAE Team Emirates

40 14-39 Wisniowski Lukasz, CCC

41 14-40 Viviani Elia, Deceuninck – Quick-Step

42 14-41 Cort Magnus, Astana

43 14-42 Perez Anthony, Cofidis

44 14-43 Janse van Rensburg Reinardt, Dimension Data

45 14-44 Grellier Fabien, Total Direct Energie

46 14-45 Cosnefroy Benoit, Ag2r La Mondiale

47 14-46 Bystrøm Sven Erik, UAE Team Emirates

48 14-47 Rossetto Stéphane, Cofidis

49 14-48 Ourselin Paul, Total Direct Energie

50 14-49 De Buyst Jasper, Lotto-Soudal

51 14-50 Rowe Luke, Ineos

52 14-51 Küng Stefan, Groupama-FDJ

53 14-52 Eiking Odd Christian, Wanty-Gobert

54 14-53 Durbridge Luke, Mitchelton-Scott

55 14-54 Berhane Natnael, Cofidis

56 14-55 Oss Daniel, Bora-Hansgrohe

57 14-56 Calmejane Lilian, Total Direct Energie

58 14-57 Mohoric Matej, Bahrain-Merida

59 14-58 Arndt Nikias, Sunweb

60 14-59 Keukeleire Jens, Lotto-Soudal

61 15-00 Schär Michael, CCC

62 15-01 Garcia Ivan, Bahrain-Merida

63 15-02 Oliveira Nelson, Movistar

64 15-03 Delaplace Anthony, Arkéa-Samsic

65 15-04 Moinard Amael, Arkéa-Samsic

66 15-05 Ledanois Kevin Arkéa-Samsic

67 15-06 Roux Anthony, Groupama-FDJ

68 15-07 Würtz Mads, Katusha-Alpecin

69 15-08 Erviti Imano, Movistar

70 15-09 Gesbert Elie, Arkéa-Samsic

71 15-10 Devenyns Dries, Deceuninck – Quick-Step

72 15-11 Houle Hugo, Astana

73 15-12 King Ben, Dimension Data

74 15-13 Teunissen Mike, Jumbo-Visma

75 15-14 Caruso Damiano, Bahrain-Merida

76 15-15 Simon Julien, Cofidis

77 15-16 Skujins Toms, Trek-Segafredo

78 15-17 Wellens Tim, Lotto-Soudal

79 15-18 Rosskopf Joseph, CCC

80 15-19 Pasqualon Andrea, Wanty-Gobert

81 15-20 Pauwels Serge, CCC

82 15-21 Fraile Omar, Astana

83 15-22 Yates Simon, Mitchelton-Scott

84 15-23 Perichon Pierre-Luc, Cofidis

85 15-24 Gallopin Tony, Ag2r La Mondiale

86 15-25 Geschke Simon, CCC

87 15-26 Van Baarle Dylan, Ineos

88 15-27 Politt Nils, Katusha-Alpecin

89 15-28 Kämna Lennard, Sunweb

90 15-29 Tratnik Jan, Bahrain-Merida

91 15-30 Van Aert Wout, Jumbo-Visma

92 15-31 Bouet Maxime, Arkéa-Samsic

93 15-32 Sicard Romain, Total Direct Energie

94 15-33 De Gendt Thomas, Lotto-Soudal

95 15-34 Kragh Andersen Søren, Sunweb

96 15-35, Moscon Gianni, Ineos

97 15-36 Colbrelli Sonny, Bahrain-Merida

98 15-37 Poels Wout, Ineos

99 15-38 Sanchez Luis León, Astana

100 15-39 Valgren Michael, Dimension Data

101 15-40 Castroviejo Jonathan, Ineos

102 15-41 Bettiol Alberto, EF Education First

103 15-42 Boasson Hagen Edvald, Dimension Data

104 15-43 Zakarin Ilnur, Katusha-Alpecin

105 15-44 Impey Daryl, Mitchelton-Scott

106 15-45 Kangert Tanel, EF Education First

107 15-46 Izagirre Gorka, Astana

108 15-47 Naesen Oliver, Ag2r La Mondiale

109 15-48 Sagan Peter, Bora-Hansgrohe

110 15-49 Bilbao Pello, Astana

111 15-50 Benoot Tiesj, Lotto-Soudal

112 15-51 Amador Andrey, Movistar

113 15-52 Clarke Simon, EF Education First

114 15-53 Kwiatkowski Michał, Ineos

115 15-54 Felline Fabio, Trek-Segafredo

116 15-55 Woods Michael, EF Education First

117 15-56 Kelderman Wilco Sunweb

118 15-57 Costa Rui, UAE Team Emirates

119 15-58 Teuns Dylan, Bahrain-Merida

120 15-59 De Plus Laurens, Jumbo-Visma

121 16-00 Bernard Julien, Trek-Segafredo

122 16-01 Schachmann Maximilian, Bora-Hansgrohe

123 16-02 Nibali Vincenzo, Bahrain-Merida

124 16-03 Vuillermoz Alexis, Ag2r La Mondiale

125 16-04 Mühlberger Gregor, Bora-Hansgrohe

126 16-05 Soler Marc, Movistar

127 16-06 Matthews Michael, Sunweb

128 16-07 Taaramäe Rein, Total Direct Energie

129 16-08 Cherel Mikael, Ag2r La Mondiale

130 16:09 Herrada Jesus, Cofidis

131 16:10 Frank Mathias, Ag2r La Mondiale

132 16:11 Henao Sergio, UAE Team Emirates

133 16:13 Stuyven Jasper, Trek-Segafredo

134 16:15 Haig Jack, Mitchelton-Scott

135 16:17 Trentin Matteo, Mitchelton-Scott

136 16:19 Reichenbach Sébastien, Groupama-FDJ

137 16:21 Ciccone Giulio, Trek-Segafredo

138 16:23 Molard Rudy, Groupama-FDJ

139 16:25 Bennett George, Jumbo-Visma

140 16:27 Roche Nicolas, Roche

141 16:29 Van Avermaet Greg, CCC

142 16:31 Martin Guillaume, Wanty-Gobert

143 16:33 Aru Fabio, UAE Team Emirates

144 16:35 Lutsenko Alexey, Astana

145 16:37 Gaudu David, Groupama-FDJ

146 16:39 Mollema Bauke, Trek-Segafredo

147 16:41 Landa Mikel, Movistar

148 16:43 Porte Richie, Trek-Segafredo

149 16:45 Meurisse Xandro, Wanty-Gobert

150 16:47 Kreuziger Roman, Dimension Data

151 16:49 Barguil Warren, Arkéa-Samsic

152 16:51 Fuglsang Jakob, Astana

153 16:53 Bardet Romain, Ag2r La Mondiale

154 16:55 Valverde Alejandro, Movistar

155 16:57 Urán Rigoberto, EF Education First

156 16:59 Konrad Patrick, Bora-Hansgrohe

157 17:01 Pinot Thibaut, Groupama-FDJ

158 17:03 Martin Daniel, UAE Team Emirates

159 17:05 Quintana Nairo, Movistar

160 17:07 Yates Adam, Mitchelton-Scott

161 17:09 Mas Enric, Deceuninck – Quick-Step

162 17:11 Buchmann Emanuel, Bora-Hansgrohe

163 17:13 Kruijswijk Steven, Jumbo-Visma

164 17:15 Bernal Egan, Ineos

165 17:17 Thomas Geraint, Ineos

166 17:19 Alaphilippe Julian, Deceuninck – Quick-Step

Key Points

• Current race standings | Stage-by-stage guide
• A look at the time-trial course | Key rider start times
• Wout van Aert crashes out of Tour de France

[19 July 2019 13:02 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Hello and welcome along to our live coverage of this stage 13, a 27.2km individual time-trial around Pau. Here's our preview:

On stage 13, an individual time-trial around Pau, the question that has been lurking in the background for the past few days will finally be answered. Geraint Thomas is the only GC rider with real time-trial pedigree, and he will gain time on the yellow jersey of Julian Alaphilippe and the rest of his rivals. The only wonder is, how much?

There have been suggestions of time gaps stretching to as much as two minutes, which would be potentially decisive, but this flat-ish route is only 27.2km and that seems a little excessive. Even so, there is no one in the top 10 with a hinterland quite like the reigning champion, Thomas, who in another life was an Olympic team pursuit champion on the track and a Commonwealth time-trial bronze medallist on the road. He stands to gain time, if not quite the prize of the yellow jersey just yet.

Last year the shoe was on the other foot. Thomas came into the time-trial near the end of the three weeks wearing yellow, and with a lead to protect against the clock specialist Tom Dumoulin. Thomas did so emphatically, timing only 14 seconds behind the powerful Dutchman to seal his Tour de France triumph. This year there is no Dumoulin, who was injured at the Giro, and no Primoz Roglic either, another time-trial expert who expended himself at the Italian Grand Tour in May. Damage limitation was the task for Thomas in 2018; maximum destruction is the goal 12 months later. 

Alaphilippe leads the Welshman by 1min 12sec in the general classification and although it is probably too much to think that lead will crumble entirely, we can expect Thomas to take several bites into the Frenchman’s advantage. Alaphilippe was three and a half minutes slower than Thomas in last year’s time-trial, though then he did not have the carrot of the maillot jaune to pull him round.

Thomas’s co-leader within Team Ineos, Egan Bernal, is third overall and will hope to still be on the virtual podium come the end of the day. Of the other four riders who are within two minutes of Alaphilippe – Steven Kruijswijk, Emanuel Buchmann, Enric Mas and Britain’s Adam Yates – it is probably Yates and the Dutchman Kruijswijk who will be fastest and could close the gap to the Colombian.

As for who will win the stage itself, there are several candidates. The hugely talented Wout van Aert already has one stage win in his first Tour and could earn another here. The American Chad Haga won the individual time-trial at the Giro d’Italia in May. Tony Martin is a four-time world time-trial champion. The Australian Rohan Dennis would have been in the reckoning too, but abandoned the race in mysterious circumstances on stage 12.

And then there’s Thomas. He is likely to be in the mix for the stage win just as he was 12 months ago. That is almost a given, but how Alaphilippe copes with the challenge is unknown. He looks in supreme shape, is the world’s No1 ranked road racer, and right now he has that magical motivating power of the yellow jersey on his shoulders. Over 27km in Pau we are about to discover an awful lot more about his credentials to go and win this Tour de France.

[19 July 2019 13:22 · Lawrence Ostlere]

The riders will go out one-by-one starting with the last man in the general classification, Yoann Offredo, who is now 20 minutes into his ride, and finishing with the yellow jersey of Julian Alaphilippe. The man in yellow always looks very cool, I think, in time-trials, and I have added pictures below of Geraint Thomas last year to demonstrate this important point. The first 132 riders will roll down the start ramp in one minute intervals, before the final 23 riders are split by two minute gaps. If you catch the rider in front you are not allowed to draft behind them. Simple. Any questions? Feel free to email lawrence.ostlere@independent.co.uk or tweet @lawrenceostlere .

[19 July 2019 13:34 · Lawrence Ostlere]

There are a few notable early runners here, among then Tony Martin, the four-time world time-trial champion who seems to making a point of not trying, at times taking his feet off the pedals to sit up and enjoy the scenery around Pau. Of the 14 riders through the first check point at 7.7km, he is timed last. Kasper Asgreen, the Danish national time-trial champion, is setting the early pace with a time of 11min 50sec through the first checkpoint, and 22min 42sec through the second marker at 15.5km. Chad Haga, the American who won the time-trial at the Giro d'Italia in May, is closest to Asgreen, 10 seconds back. I imagine Asgreen and Haga will be in and around the top 10 by the end of the day, so these are the kind of markers Geraint Thomas will want to beat. 

[19 July 2019 13:56 · Lawrence Ostlere]

A look at the course: 27.2km around Pau which is mainly flat, but has just enough elevation to made it a tough day in the saddle, with plenty of tight twists and turns including a hairpin bend dropped in the middle. It's a nice day in the south of France, by the way, and good conditions for it.

[19 July 2019 14:04 · Lawrence Ostlere]

A few selected riders to look out for today:

6th to start, 1.05pm BST: Asgreen Kasper, Deceuninck – Quick-Step

35, 1.34pm: Lampaert Yves, Deceuninck – Quick-Step

81, 2.20pm: Pauwels Serge, CCC

91, 2.30: Van Aert Wout, Jumbo-Visma

And the top 10:

157 , 4.01pm: Pinot Thibaut, Groupama-FDJ

158, 4.03pm: Martin Daniel, UAE Team Emirates

159, 4.05pm: Quintana Nairo, Movistar

160, 4.07: Yates Adam, Mitchelton-Scott

161, 4.09: Mas Enric, Deceuninck – Quick-Step

162, 4.11: Buchmann Emanuel, Bora-Hansgrohe

163, 4.13: Kruijswijk Steven, Jumbo-Visma

164, 4.15: Bernal Egan, Ineos

165, 4.17: Thomas Geraint, Ineos

166, 4.19: Alaphilippe Julian, Deceuninck – Quick-Step

Stage 10 winner Wout van Aert is among the favourites 

[19 July 2019 14:23 · Lawrence Ostlere]

The 84th rider down the ramp is Simon Yates, winner of stage 12 in some style to complete the trilogy of Grand Tour wins. Here's how he did it:

[19 July 2019 14:25 · Lawrence Ostlere]

It's early days, but Kasper Asgreen is the man in the hotseat with a time of 35min 52sec. Britain's Alex Dowsett currently sits third, behind America's Chad Haga, but neither of them got within 30 seconds of Asgreen, which is impressive by the Danish national time-trial champion. He's set the mark to beat. 

[19 July 2019 14:51 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Wout van Aert is out on the course and I fancy him to do something impressive here. It's a decent start, getting to the first checkpoint at 7.7km ahead of the man in the hot seat, Kasper Asgreen, by 17 seconds.

[19 July 2019 14:59 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Now then – Thomas De Gendt started four minutes behind Wout van Aert, and as Van Aert goes through and breaks the record at each timecheck, De Gendt is coming through a beating his young countryman. At the 15km mark, De Gendt was 16 seconds quicker than Van Aert. Impressive stuff from the stage eight winner. 

[19 July 2019 15:05 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Wout van Aert has crashed! Oh no, this looks bad. He was speeding around a corner when he just caught the barrier somehow and came crashing down. That might not just be the end of his time-trial challenge but the end of his Tour de France, too.