Colombian Egan Bernal was catapulted into the overall lead of the Tour de France...
TIGNES, France - Colombian Egan Bernal was catapulted into the overall lead of the Tour de France in dramatic circumstances on Friday as the 19th stage was stopped early because of a hailstorm after French hopes had faded away.
Alaphilippe began eating back into the lead with a brilliant descent, only to be told to stop riding after organisers called the race off because of the dangerous conditions ahead. “What a day. The landslide was 20-metres long and 50-cm thick so the organisers and the race jury decided to stop the race,” said Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme, who was also forced to cut Saturday’s 20th stage from 130km to 59km, making it a flat ride to the final 33km climb up to Val Thorens.
“I had attacked and I was told to stop but I said ‘no, no, not now’, I didn’t want to stop, I didn’t know what had happened. When I was told I was the overall leader I couldn’t believe it and I still cannot believe it,” said Bernal, who at 22 can become the youngest Tour winner since the end of World War Two.“I was expecting this. I gave everything but I was beaten by a stronger rider,” the world number one said.
“We wanted to smash it today and the guys were super motivated. It would have been ideal if the race could have continued because even if he had reduced the gap in the descent, Julian would have suffered in the last ascent.”
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