Interesting Tour de France Facts
Follow live coverage of stage 19 of the Tour de France today.
If Mark Cavendish wins today he will break the all-time record number of stage wins at the Tour de France. No mean feat. The 36-year-old’s four victories at this year’s race have seen him equal the record of 34 which was set by all-time great Eddy Merckx 46 years ago when he claimed the last of his wins on stage nine of the 1975 Tour.
Cavendish has unequivocally proved himself to be the fastest man in the race when it comes down to a bunch sprint. Now he simply has to keep his cool and follow his Deceuninck-Quick Step teammates through the pack as they attempt to deliver him perfectly for a fifth time. The Brit made it through the Pyrenees without any major scares but today we will see how the mountains have affected his legs in the final burst for the line.
If he doesn’t break the record today, he does still have the opportunity to do so on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, a stage he has won four times before. But he will want to do it today. Just the small matter of 207 kilometres to navigate before we are surely treated to what could be a historic sprint finish.
Tour de France latest: Stage 19
4km to go: Mohoric has shown himself to be the strongest rider in the breakaway once more.
(BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)
Dylan Terry16 July 2021 15:43
Tour de France latest: Stage 19
6km to go: The nine riders left in the chase group all take a look at each other and begin to ease off the pace. The hunt for Mohoric looks to be over! The Slovenian is going to take a second stage win of this year’s Tour de France!
Sensational stuff from the Slovenian.
Dylan Terry16 July 2021 15:40
Tour de France latest: Stage 19
8km to go: Politt attacks! A big move from the super strong Bora-Hansgrohe man. He drops a few riders for a moment but can’t sustain his attack and all of a sudden it’s back together once more.
The pace is fluctuating all the time in the chase group, causing the gap to Mohoric to drop down to 35 seconds and then rise back to 45.
This is perfect for Mohoric.
Dylan Terry16 July 2021 15:39
Tour de France latest: Stage 19
10km to go: Mohoric is setting a pace of around 45km/h at the moment. If the group behind fully commits then they may be able to bring him back. Whether they will or not is a completely different question altogether.
The gap has gone out a tad more again to 45 seconds.
Dylan Terry16 July 2021 15:37
Tour de France latest: Stage 19
12km to go: Mohoric is all in, pushing with everything he’s got as the grimace on his face says exactly how he feels.
The gap is still 42 seconds. How long can the Slovenian hold this for?
Dylan Terry16 July 2021 15:34
Tour de France latest: Stage 19
14km to go: Mohoric beginning to be brought back just a little as the chase group reduce the gap slightly to 40 seconds. This is going to be some chase.
Dylan Terry16 July 2021 15:32
Tour de France latest: Stage 19
17km to go: Mohoric’s gap already up to 45 seconds and it keeps going out! The chase group are working but it doesn’t seem to be making a dent. There is a lack of commitment to the cause despite the ten riders in the group looking organised.
Mohoric could be about to hand Bahrain a third win of the Tour! He already has one and so does Dylan Teuns.
Dylan Terry16 July 2021 15:28
Tour de France latest: Stage 19
19km to go: Mohoric has got a significant gap! The Bahrain Victorious rider has 37 seconds over the ten rider chase group and this could well be the move which wins him the day!
A reminder that Mohoric has already won stage seven at this year’s race.
Dylan Terry16 July 2021 15:25
Tour de France latest: Stage 19
Safe to say I think Tadej Pogacar is pretty relaxed in the peloton. They are more than 15 minutes off the breakaway now.
(AFP via Getty Images)
Dylan Terry16 July 2021 15:24
Tour de France latest: Stage 19
22km to go: Rutsch is dropped by the lead group.
Mohoric sense a chance to jump clear and does so into a brutal headwind. The wind is making it very difficult for anyone to sustain a solo attack.
They are after the Bahrain Victorious man as Laporte senses danger.
Dylan Terry16 July 2021 15:20