The final mountain stage of the 2025 Tour de France will be almost 35 kilometers shorter than planned, event officials announced Thursday, July 24, after the discovery of a contagious outbreak in a herd of cattle along the original route from Albertville to La Plagne in the French Alps.
‘In light of the distress experienced by the affected farmers and in order to preserve the smooth running of the race, it has been decided, in agreement with the relevant authorities, to modify the route of Stage 19 (Albertville–La Plagne) and to avoid the ascent to the col des Saisies,’ Tour de France officials said in a statement.
The ceremonial start of the race still will occur in Albertville, but riders will quickly veer off course before rejoining the original route at what was supposed to be the 52.4-kilometer mark. The start time of Friday’s race has also been pushed back one hour to 8:30 a.m. ET.
Stage 19 is considered the best chance left for rivals to attempt to close the gap with defending Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar, who will enter Friday with a commanding 4-minute, 26-second lead over Jonas Vingegaard for the yellow jersey and overall lead. Pogačar finished in second place during Stage 18 through the French Alps, surging past Vingegaard in the final kilometer to widen his advantage.
A shortened course Friday will make passing Pogačar more unlikely. There are just three stages remaining in the 2025 Tour de France, with the final stage scheduled for Sunday, July 27 and ending in Paris at the Champs-Elysees. Pogačar is seeking his fourth overall Tour de France title.