Tour de France 2019 LIVE Stage 14: Julian Alaphilippe extends lead as Geraint Thomas suffers

The Frenchman faces a fight to keep hold of the yellow jersey as the race climbs more than 2,000m above sea level

Stage 12 highlights from the Tour de France

Julian Alaphilippe has faced plenty of tests dotted along the road in the first 13 stages of the Tour de France, but this is different. The Col du Tourmalet – which translates from Gascon as ‘the long mountain’ – is the highest paved pass in the French Pyrenees, a Tour classic, and a brute which will crack open even bigger gaps in the top 10.

For the first time, this Tour will climb high above Alaphilippe’s comfort zone, more than 2,000m above sea level. He has shown no weaknesses so far, stunning everyone including second-placed Geraint Thomas by winning Friday’s time-trial, but preserving his lead here will be a much harder thing. In his favour is the length of the stage: at only 117km it is not a particularly long day, with a couple of small climbs at the start and the category one Col du Soulor in the middle. It doesn’t leave much room for a breakaway to escape and could set up a grandstand finale between the main GC riders.

Then comes the Tourmalet, attacked from the west side, a gruelling 19km drag at an average gradient of 7.4% with the finish line on its summit. It has a rich history of appearances in the Tour de France, although this is only the third time a stage will have finished on the top. The Tour’s most recent visit to the Tourmalet was last year; the first man to the top that day? Julian Alaphilippe. That was a whole different scenario, as he went for King of the Mountains points to win the polka dot jersey. This time he wears yellow, and he faces a fight to keep it. Follow the latest updates below.

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Key Points

• Stage 14 takes runs from Tarbes to the Tourmalet peak
• Romain Sicard has slight lead over peloton containing Alaphilippe and Thomas
• Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe leads Geraint Thomas by 1:26 minutes overall

[20 July 2019 16:07 · Jack de Menezes]

1.6km to go: Another three riders drop away. This is really taking its toll, and Alaphilippe looks to be keeping track of Thomas only. 

[20 July 2019 16:08 · Jack de Menezes]

1km to go: Thomas looks like he's gone...he has! The defending champion is in big trouble.

[20 July 2019 16:10 · Jack de Menezes]

500m to go: This is going to be a big blow to Thomas' hopes as he's really struggling. Alaphilippe meanwhile remains in the hunt in a pack of six riders that will fight for the stage win. Will it be the yellow jersey holder?

[20 July 2019 16:11 · Jack de Menezes]

Pinot goes for it with 100m to go!

Thibaut Pinot wins stage 14 of the tour de France!

[20 July 2019 16:13 · Jack de Menezes]

Thibaut Pinot storms to victory with a masterful ride, but right behind him Julian Alaphilippe crosses the line in second to ensure he retains the overall lead and yellow jersey.

Geraint Thomas comes home some 35 seconds behind, and he could be two minutes off the GC leader now when the times are worked out.

[20 July 2019 16:25 · Jack de Menezes]