Sepp Kuss of Team Visma | Lease a Bike achieved a fourth-place finish in stage 19 of the Tour de France. Kuss was a contender for the stage victory during much of the climb up Alpe d’Huez but ultimately fell short. Tadej Pogacar emerged as the strongest rider on the final ascent, soloing to victory.
The team demonstrated attacking intentions early in the second stage through the French Alps. Bruno Armirail, Kuss, Matteo Jorgenson, and Davide Piganzoli were all part of a 40-rider breakaway that formed on the day’s initial climb.
Breakaway Efforts and Final Ascent
Cooperation within the breakaway was strong. The efforts of Piganzoli, Jorgenson, and Armirail helped a reduced lead group begin the ascent of Alpe d’Huez with a significant advantage. Kuss was among the strongest riders in this group, maintaining his position as a contender for the stage win for an extended period.
Despite his efforts, Kuss had to settle for fourth place. He reflected on his performance, stating he felt good and that it was a positive day for the team, highlighting the collective effort in the breakaway. Kuss mentioned a battle with Richard Carapaz and Martinez on the final climb, where he attempted to break away multiple times.
Pogacar, who eventually won the stage, noted the strong pace set by his teammate Felix Grossschartner early in the climb. He also mentioned that the breakaway was very strong, leading to a full-gas effort on the preceding climb. Pogacar felt confident on the first kilometer of Alpe d’Huez, committing to the top.
With 4.2km remaining, Kuss accelerated after rejoining Carapaz and Martinez. At 5.2km to go, the crowds were dense around the leaders, who appeared disorganized. Carapaz made another move, with Martinez following, while Kuss remained just behind. Pogacar continued to gain ground, reducing the gap to 50 seconds.
Pogacar’s Dominance and Record Climb
Pogacar’s pursuit continued relentlessly. At 6.8km from the finish, his gap to the leaders was 70 seconds. He was observed picking off riders from the breakaway, consuming the mountain. At 8.8km to go, Carapaz briefly distanced Kuss and Martinez, but a dispute over who would lead allowed Kuss to rejoin.
Carapaz was aware of the chasing riders and pushed the pace at 10.5km, with Kuss looking strong alongside him. Pogacar was then 2 minutes 35 seconds behind the leaders. Pogacar ultimately conquered Alpe d’Huez in 35 minutes 29 seconds, exceeding Marco Pantani’s previous record by more than a minute.
Earlier in the stage, at 15km from the finish, Armirail was at the front of the breakaway, aiming to provide Kuss with a platform to attack Alpe d’Huez. The yellow jersey group was 3 minutes 45 seconds behind the breakaway at 25km to go. The breakaway group had reduced to 15 riders at 29.5km, including Carapaz, Martinez, Kuss, and Quinn Simmons. The intermediate sprint was followed by the penultimate climb, Col d’Ornon, a category two ascent of 5.4km with an average gradient of 6.4%.
Pogacar expressed his satisfaction with the win, thanking his team for their support. He stated he was riding for his teammates and was very happy with the outcome.
Crowd Concerns on Alpe d’Huez
Concerns about potential chaos on stage 19 of the Tour de France on Alpe d’Huez were raised due to large crowds. Social media videos showed fans along the Alpine climb, reportedly partying through the night and impeding official vehicles and police. A video by Le Dauphiné Libéré captured the atmosphere, with fans singing and dancing, and fireworks being set off.
On Friday morning, team trucks and other race vehicles had to navigate the climb. Thousands of people rode the climb early, but French police later mandated that all cyclists walk, a common rule on major Tour climbs. One fan described the scene as “crazy” to Le Dauphiné Libéré. Baptiste Veistroffer of Lotto-Intermarché, who was racing on Alpe d’Huez for the first time, anticipated a similar experience.
Alpe d’Huez is known as a natural stadium for cycling, attracting fans globally. Reports suggest that a million people packed Alpe d’Huez when Lance Armstrong won a time trial there, and similar numbers were anticipated for the two final mountain stages of the 2026 Tour. Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet of Groupama-FDJ United described the climb as a “long tunnel that lasts 13km” with constant noise, contributing to its unique atmosphere.
The Tour de France returned to Alpe d’Huez for the first time since 2022 for consecutive stages. Friday’s stage featured the 21 hairpins to the finish, while Saturday’s stage was set to start in Bourg d’Oisans, include the Col du Galibier, and return to Alpe d’Huez via the Col de Sarenne. Pogacar aimed to defend his yellow jersey and pursue a fifth Tour victory, despite illness affecting his UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad.
British fans established the Beefeater bend, starting their celebrations on Thursday night. Their motto emphasizes camaraderie while also urging respect for the race and riders. The Dutch corner, located at hairpin seven, is a key point for its festive atmosphere, with Dutch fans playing music and sometimes spraying passing cars. However, reports indicated police had erected barriers along the Dutch corner, leading to calls on social media to move to the Danish corner for a similar spectator experience.
Longer sections of barriers and roped-off areas were observed, with uncertainty about whether fans would adhere to these limits. Danish and Dutch police were invited to assist with crowd control. Police closed the road early on Thursday afternoon, resulting in a 20km traffic jam on the valley road. Fans from around the world reportedly secured spots for tents and camper vans as early as Monday and Tuesday.
Riders expressed concerns about safety due to the crowds. Seixas hoped to avoid crashing on the climb, acknowledging the high number of spectators and the potential dangers. Remco Evenepoel, racing up Alpe d’Huez for the first time, anticipated a challenging experience, noting that fans could influence a stage by blocking riders. Richard Plugge, team manager for Visma-Lease a Bike, suggested that charging fans to access climbs could improve race safety, citing concerns about a growing “hooligan element” among fans who treat the event like a carnival.
Source: teamvismaleaseabike.com
