Christophe Laporte wins Tour de France stage, as Britain’s Fred Wright ran out of steam

Christophe Laporte delivered an overdue French win on the 109th Tour de France as Fred Wright was once more the almost man. 

Laporte’s Jumbo-Visma team-mate Jonas Vingegaard retained the race lead by greater than three minutes, albeit shedding 5 seconds to Tadej Pogacar, who sprinted to take fifth.

Jumbo-Visma go into Saturday’s penultimate stage trying to carry the yellow, inexperienced and polka-dot jerseys to Paris. 

Christophe Laporte dispelled fears of a primary Tour and not using a French win since 1999

Although the profile of stage 19 regarded flat it didn’t inform the true story of an undulating 188km route from Castelnau-Magnoac to Cahors, as the threatened crosswinds stayed away. 

After the primary break of the day had been caught, Wright joined Alexis Gougeard and Jasper Stuyven in slipping off the entrance with 35km to go and so they stayed clear to the flamme rouge. 

Even as the peloton bore down it was a disorganised chase, and Wright stamped on the pedals as the drag to the end started. The 23-year-old Londoner had chased victory from breaks on stage eight into Lausanne, then into Megeve two days later.

Fred Wright (left) pale away after a powerful chase and was overwhelmed by Laporte

In stage 13 in Saint-Etienne he was close by of the road when Mads Pedersen powered away, and it was the same story right here as Laporte, coming out of the pack, carried superior velocity on to the climb and rode away, profitable from Jasper Philipsen and Alberto Dainese as Wright pale. 

‘Fair play to Laporte, he came around with some speed,’ stated Wright. ‘He’s obtained legs.’ French fears had been rising of a primary Tour and not using a house win since 1999, however Laporte’s burst of velocity put that to mattress.

 ‘It’s essential to get a French win,’ stated the 29-year-old of his first Grand Tour stage win. ‘If it makes the crowd and my family happy, I’m completely happy too.’