Tour de France 2018: Geraint Thomas extends yellow-jersey lead over Tom Dumoulin as Primoz Roglic wins stage 19

Thomas has put together a masterfully measured Tour de France and needs only to avoid disaster on Saturday's individual time trial to reap his reward

Halfway up the day’s final climb, this race exploded to life. Geraint Thomas had said he expected attacks from all directions and he got them: first his closest rival Tom Dumoulin surged up the road, splintering the yellow-jersey group, then Dan Martin accelerated away, before the supremely strong Primoz Roglic powered clear.

That was the moment Chris Froome cracked, just as he had two days earlier, and Thomas was all alone. This was one last agonising test for the Welshman at the end of three huge climbs and three long weeks, with one of sport’s pinnacles waiting on the other side. He latched on to Dumoulin’s wheel and clung on for dear life as they crested the Aubisque and raced down to Laruns.

Geraint Thomas sprinted past rival Tom Dumoulin to extend his lead at the front of the Tour de France (AFP/Getty)

They approached the finish together 20 seconds after Roglic had won the stage, where Thomas laid one more blow, sprinting clear to finish second and collect six bonus seconds which pushed his lead over two minutes. With only Saturday’s time trial to come before the procession to Paris, it would be extraordinary if he is not on the rostrum’s top step.

Most of the day had been so much more controlled as Team Sky did what Team Sky do – dictating the front of the peloton with an incomparably strong team, their road captain Luke Rowe barking orders, bending the race to his will. Together with Wout Poels, Jonathan Castroviejo and Michal Kwiatkowski, Sky carried Thomas carefully over the giant Pyrénean climbs like a jewel on a cushion.

The breakaway attack the Col du Tourmalet (AFP/Getty Images)

Up ahead several breakaways and counter-attacks ramped up the pace. Julian Alaphilippe was at the front and rode clear to reach the Col d’Aspin summit first, collecting the king-of-the-mountains points he needed to seal the polka dot jersey. The 26-year-old has been one of the few riders for French fans to cheer, winning two stages en route, and undoubtedly starring in the best photo of the Tour.

The monstrous Tourmalet came next and it stretched out the race, with various breakaway groups swapping personnel as an array of conflicting motivations collided. On the long descent Movistar’s Alejandro Valverde hit the front to slow down the race – not an entirely safe option on a mountain face – in order to help his team-mate Mikel Landa catch up. Landa had started the day 4 min 34 sec down on Thomas, seventh overall, and he began to move up the virtual standings as he caught Alaphilippe’s lead group.

With the help of Romain Bardet – and without the help of the leech-like Rafal Majka – Landa went on the attack. This was crucial: the move brought Roglic’s NL-Jumbo team to life, desperate to protect his podium hopes from the damage of a potential Landa victory. They took over from Sky, with Robert Gesink burning himself out to bring the yellow-jersey group within touching distance of the leaders at the foot of the Aubisque.

Primoz Roglic celebrates his impressive victory on stage 19 of the Tour de France (EPA)

On the final climb Landa and Bardet were caught and Roglic took over. Froome lost touch but returned with Bernal’s help, as Thomas refused to give up an inch to Dumoulin. The Dutchman is the world time trial champion, and he is likely to make up time on Saturday’s clocked run from Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle to Espelette over 31km, but Thomas has put together a masterfully measured Tour de France and needs only to avoid disaster to reap his reward.