And right out of the start gate we have an attack: Izagirre, Urtasun, Greipel, Iglinsky, Costa, Gutierrez, Koren, Riblon, Pineau, Burghardt, Buffaz, Duque, and Hoogerland. The break had a 2'40" gap with 93km remaining.
Back in the peloton, Sorensen attacks as Greipel is dropped from the leaders. A. Schleck is on Sorensen's wheel and bring him back. Then Contador takes off with another teammate but both Schlecks and Evans follow. Voeckler moves up to Contador's group along with a few other riders. However, as Contador is pacing the bunch, riders are being dropped. Its only A. Schleck, Voeckler, and Evans who can hang on to Contador.
Burghardt drops from the lead group to help Evans as the peloton closes in on 15" behind the Contador group. Cavendish, Cancellara, and Hushovd are dropped.
With 5km from the summit of the first climb, Contador attacks again and Voeckler and Evans can't hang on. Contador catches the original breakaway soon after, and plows right through them. Pineau is helping Voeckler back to the Contador group.
As the leaders start the second climb, Contador asks for help, but no one assists. He is dropping more and more riders with his pace. Voeckler is still trying to catch Contador using what riders are left from the original breakaway.
A. Schleck and Contador have a few words and then Schleck take a turn pulling the group up the HC climb. Back in the peloton, BMC takes over the chase to bring the gap down from 1'32" and Vanendert is dropped. With 69km left, the gap had creeped up to 1'52". Voeckler is losing it as is Taaramae in the peloton.
Schleck and Contador are taking turns on the front while BMC cracked. Only Evans is left but F. Schleck and about 20 other riders are on his wheel. Voeckler joined with the Evans group as Basso was dropped for a few minutes.
S. Sanchez attacks the Evans/Yellow Jersey group and Evans bridges with F. Schleck and Rolland. S. Sanchez keeps going on his own though. Cunego and Hesjedal eventually join Evans, but Basso is dropped. Even though Europcar is leading the peloton, Voeckler can't hold on and he is dropped as well. With about 50km left, S. Sanchez joins forces with Contador, while Garmin is pulling the peloton harder to drop Basso. Voeckler and Basso join together.
With 25km to go, the Evans group catches the Contador group. The Yellow Jersey group is 1'21' behind. There are a lot of attacks in the lead group. Rolland does first and Jeannesson responds as they are both fighting for White, but it is ultimately Hesjedal who joins him. Hesjedal takes the maximum points on the intermediate sprint. The next group back is Riblon, Costa and Jeannesson, just ahead of the GC contenders. With 15km left, Basso and Voeckler are back with the rest of the GC contenders.
In the last 13km there are so many attacks. Both Schlecks, Evans, and Contador are attacking each other, all trying to gain time for the Yellow Jersey. Contador reaches the two leaders and takes off again. Hesjedal is dropped, but Rolland hangs on for a few before being dropped.
Sanchez and Velits catch up to Rolland, but Veltis is soon dropped. Sanchez and Rolland catch Contador, and Rolland continues solo. It his Rolland who will take the stage!
Stage 19 Results:
1 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar2 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
3 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank Sungard
4 Peter Velits (Svk) HTC-Highroad
5 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team
6 Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
7 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISD
8 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek
9 Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek
10 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Cervelo
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