LA PLAGNE, France (AP) — The 19th stage of the Tour de France was shortened on Friday after cows infected by a contagious disease were culled in an area along the mountainous route.
The stage from Albertville to La Plagne was meant to be 129.9 kilometers (80.5 miles) long but trimmed to 93.1 kilometers (57.7 miles), according to the official Tour website’s stage map on Friday.
Two of the five climbs were removed, including the 13.7 kilometer Col des Saisies — where an outbreak of nodular dermatitis affected a herd of cows, race organizer ASO said.
“The discovery of an outbreak of contagious nodular dermatitis (lumpy skin) affecting cattle in a herd located specifically in the Col des Saisies necessitated the culling of the animals,” ASO said in a statement. “Given the consternation of the breeders concerned, and in order to maintain the calm of the race, it was decided, in agreement with the authorities, to modify the route of the 19th stage and not to cross the Col des Saisies.”
The start time of the stage was pushed back by one hour to 2:30 p.m. local time (1230 GMT), with an expected finishing time of around 5:30 p.m.
Three-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar of Slovenia led overall heading into the stage, with two-time champion Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark 4 minutes, 26 seconds behind him in second place.
Stage 19 represented Vingegaard’s last realistic chance of overtaking Pogačar and taking the yellow jersey, with the race finishing on Sunday.
Vingegaard and his Visma–Lease a Bike team had not been able to take time off Pogačar in this year’s mountain stages.
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