Tour de France 2025: stage 19 to La Plagne shortened due to diseased cattle – live

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If you missed it: read Jeremy Whittle’s exclusive on the latest questions hanging over Team Ineos/Team Sky.

“David Rozman, a long-term member of Ineos Grenadiers’ staff, has left the Tour de France after the International Testing Agency (ITA) launched an investigation into alleged messages he exchanged in 2012 with the subsequently convicted German doping doctor Mark Schmidt.

“The allegations stem from a recent documentary made by the German TV outlet ARD, which linked Rozman to Schmidt but did not name him, with further media reports including alleged texts between the Ineos staff member and Schmidt from June 2012 when the team were racing as Team Sky.”

Preamble

Today’s stage is hard. No change there. Although the route between Albertville and La Plagne, the last proper mountain stage of this year’s Tour, has been shortened at the last minute due to an outbreak of disease among cattle in the local area.

Initially the route was 129.9km, but the riders will now cover a little under 95km. A news update on the official Tour site reads: “The discovery of an outbreak of contagious nodular dermatitis affecting cattle in a herd located specifically in the Col des Saisies has necessitated the culling of the animals. In light of the distress experienced by the affected farmers and in order to preserve the smooth running of the race, it has been decided, in agreement with the relevant authorities, to modify the route of Stage 19 (Albertville–La Plagne) and to avoid the ascent to the Col des Saisies.”

There are three categorised climbs on the revised route: the Col de Pré (HC), the Cormet de Roseland (category two) and the HC climb to the ski resort of La Plagne to finish. The GC looks to be sewn up but there is plenty more up for grabs, especially after the Scottish rider Oscar Onley (Picnic PostNL) rode to within 22sec of third-placed Florian Lipowitz on yesterday’s stage to Courchevel.

The official update on Le Tour website explains more on the route: “The ceremonial start will take place as planned at the exit of Albertville. After a 7km parade, riders will head towards the D925, where the official start will be given. The race will then rejoin the original route shortly before Beaufort (at km 52.4 on the original schedule).

“… As a result, the start in the neutral zone will be given at 2:30pm, one hour later than originally scheduled.”

C’est comme ça. Let’s go/Allez!

Stage start time: 13.45 UK/14.45 local time