Denmark’s Soren Kragh Andersen (Team Sunweb) rode to his second stage win of the 2020 Tour de France with an unopposed victory at the finish line at Champagnole during a flat ride in Stage 19. Once again, there was no chance at the top of the leader board, and Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) continues to wear the yellow jersey.
Only two more stages remain, including a time trial in Stage 20, before the final ride into Paris on Sunday for Stage 21.
Andersen won his first stage last week during an impressive final sprint in Lyon in Stage 14.
“Two wins in the same Tour de France?” said Andersen. “I’m speechless. I could never have dreamed about something better.”
| TOUR de FRANCE STAGE 19 RESULTS |
- Soren Kragh Andersen (Sunweb) 03:36:33
- Luka Mezgec (Mitchelton-Scott) +00:53
- Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) +00:53
Andersen joins a couple of other riders with multiple stage wins at Le Tour. No one has more than two, but that short list includes Tadej Pogacar (Stage 9, Stage 15), Caleb Ewan (Stage 3, Stage 11), and Wout Van Aert (Stage 3, Stage 5).
When Le Tour finally departed from the Alps, only 146 riders remained in the peloton.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTo2k9KWORg
Stage 19: Bourg-en-Bresse > Champagnole
After spending most of the week riding the final mountain stages in the Alps, the Tour de France headed back to lower elevations. Stage 19 featured flat land for the 166.5 km ride from Bourg-en-Bresse to Champagnole.
“I attacked first,” said Matteo Trentin (CCC). “Peter (Sagan) closed me down. And then Kragh Andersen picked the right moment again, well done to him.”
Andersen counter-attacked on the ascent of Ponte-de-la-Chaux. He padded his lead on the descent.
Andersen built up a one-minute lead head into the 10 km. No one caught him on the way to Champagnole.
“I was screaming for them to confirm one minute, and I didn’t believe it,” said Andersen.
There was an exciting sprint to the finish line to determine second place. Luka Mezgec (Mitchelton-Scott) held off Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) to take the second spot on the podium.
Andersen stood on the podium in the top spot for the second time at Le Tour.
“This is a memory for life, I’m super happy,” added Andersen.
🦅 An aerial view of 🇩🇰 Søren Kragh Andersen's final attack to move into pole and claim the stage win!
Retrouvez en vue aérienne l'attaque décisive de 🇩🇰 Søren Kragh Andersen pour filer vers la victoire à Champagnole.#TDF2020 pic.twitter.com/OoUdWT3gr2
— Tour de Franceâ„¢ (@LeTour) September 18, 2020
On Deck: Time Trial Stage 20 Lure > La Planche des Belles Filles
The individual time trial in Stage 20 is only 36.2 kilometers from Lure to La Planche des Belles Filles. However, the time trial ends with a summit finish at La Planche des Belles Filles. Riders will be faced with a solo Category 1 climb to the finish line for the final six kilometers.
Oddsmakers in Europe set lines on the time trial. Roglic is the favorite at 3/2 odds to win Stage 20 at La Planche des Belles Filles. Wout Van Aert is 9/4 odds to post a faster time than Roglic. Van Aert seeks his third stage win on the 2020 Tour de France.
Meanwhile, Tadej Pogacar is 10/1 odds to win the time trial for his third stage win.
| GC OVERALL STANDINGS GC (THRU STAGE 19) |
- Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) 83:29:41
- Tadej Pogacar (UAE) +0:57
- Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) +1:27
- Richie Porte (Trek-Segafredo) +3:06
- Mikel Landa (Bahrain McLaren) +3:28
The top five in the GC didn’t see any change in the standings. The peloton took a conservative and safe approach in Stage 19, and finished approximately eight minutes behind the breakaway.
The time trial will be Pogacar’s last chance to make up a full minute. Unless Roglic crashes or has some horrific accident, the overall victory is his to lose.
DraftKings readjusted the line on Roglic at -2500. Pogacar is +1400 to pull off the impossible upset.
