After four top-three finishes at this year's Tour de France, Dimension Data rider Edvald Boasson Hagen was able to finally capture a stage victory at the 104th Tour de France after pulling away from Team Sunweb's Nikias Arndt on the final 2 kilometers in Salon-de-Provence.
The peloton departed from the town of Embrun at the foot of the French Alps before heading south towards the Mediterranean Sea to the city of Salon-de-Provence on Stage 19 of the 104 Tour de France.
Multiple surges took place at the front of the peloton in the first 10 kilometers, but none stuck until a group of eight riders which included Guillame van Kiersbulck (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Michael Albasini (Orica-Scott), Adrien Petit (Direct Energie), Marcus Burghardt (Bora-Hangrohe), Pierre Rolland (Cannondale-Drapac), Maxime Bouet (Fortuneo-Oscaro), Dylan van Baarle (Cannondale-Drapac), and Julien Vermote (Quick-Step Floors).
This eight-rider lead group would hold for 15 kilometers on the climb to the summit of the Col Lebraut, at which Romain Sicard (Direct Energie) was able to beat out Cannondale-Drapac rider Pierre Rolland to the top.
Soon after the peloton began their descent from the summit of the Col Lebraut, a lead group of 20 riders formed as Roman Hardy (Fortuneo-Oscaro) took charge of the group on the ascent to the Cote de Breziers.
Hardy would reach the top of the climb first, taking two points in the King of the Mountains competition, followed closely by Lotto Soudal rider Thomas de Gendt.
The peloton made little effort to reign in the escape pack, as the leaders had built their lead to 5' on the peloton over the next 15 kilometers.
Over the next 40 kilometers, the breakaway group continued to build their comfortable cushion over the peloton, holding an 8' advantage at the end of the second hour of racing on the day.
As the lead group reached the day's intermediate sprint in Banon, Thomas de Gendt proved to be the strongest to the line, beating out the youngest rider at this year's Tour de France, Elie Gesbert (Fortuneo-Oscaro), and AG2R La Mondiale's Jan Bakelants.
On the final categorized climb of the day up the Col du Pointu Romain Sicard and Elie Gesbert broke off the front of the lead pack, as Sicard was first to the summit narrowly ahead of Gesbert.
With under 20 kilometers remaining to the finish line in Salon-de-Provence, a group of 9 riders that included Edvald Boasson Hagen, Nikias Ardnt, Jan Bakelants, Thomas de Gendt, Elie Gesbert, Michael Albasini, Jen Keukeleire (Orica-Scott), Daniele Bennati (Movistar), and Sylvain Chavanel (Direct Energie) made an attack of the front of the lead pack, separating themselves from the remaining 11 riders.
The leading 9 riders continued to put in surges that were met by their competitors, before Boasson Hagen and Ardnt gained a 20 meter gap on the other 7 riders when they went through the opposite side of a roundabout with 2 kilometers to go to the finish.
Once Boasson Hagen and Ardnt had put a gap on the rest of the field, Boasson Hagen displayed that he is one of cycling's most powerful riders, as the Norwegian sprinter pulled away from Nikias Arndt in the final kilometer to capture the victory on Stage 19 of the 104th Tour de France.
No changes occurred at the top of the general classification, as Chris Froome (Team Sky) will wear the yellow jersey ahead of Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale) and Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac) going into the individual time trial on Stage 20 in Marseille.
Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) all but solidified the green jersey, as second place Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal) took no points on the day while sitting 160 points back of Matthews.
Warren Barguil (Team Sunweb) finished within the time cutoff on the day to keep the polka dot jersey as the King of the Mountains.
Simon Yates (Orica-Scott) once again lost time to Louis Meintjes (UAE Team Emirates) on Stage 19, but still hold a comfortable lead of over 2' in the best young rider classification going into the final two stages.
Team Sky will keep their lead in the team classification, which they have held since Stage 1 in Dusseldorf, but now sit only 3'08'' ahead of second place AG2R La Mondiale going into the penultimate stage in Marseille.
Stage 20 will be tricky a 22.5 kilometer individual time trial through the streets of Marseille, and will be the last real chance for riders to make up any large time gaps in the general classification.
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