Overview
- Pogacar launched a long solo on Friday on the final climb to Alpe d'Huez, won Stage 19 in record‑smashing fashion and increased his overall lead to about 7 minutes 11 seconds.
- The Alpine block produced varied winners: Jasper Philipsen took a reduced bunch sprint on Stage 17, and Richard Carapaz followed with a successful breakaway win on Stage 18.
- Carapaz's Stage 18 result moved him into the polka‑dot King of the Mountains lead by a single point after he collected key summit points in the Alps.
- UAE Team Emirates‑XRG has lost mountain support after Brandon McNulty abandoned and Adam Yates battled illness, but Pogacar has still delivered decisive mountain rides.
- With two stages left, including Saturday's queen stage, Pogacar's multi‑minute advantage makes overturning the general classification unlikely while the green points battle remains tight with Philipsen within seven points of Mads Pedersen.