Welcome to live coverage of stage 19 of the Tour de France - a long 204.5km trek through the Alps from Bourg-d'Oisans to Le Grand-Bornand. Today's brutal stage will be a real test - especially after the yesterday's leg-sapping dramatics on Alpe d'Huez. Two HC ascents of the Col de Madeleine and the Col de Glandon are followed by three more tough climbs and then a fast descent to the finish.

Tour de France

Stage 19 | Mountain | Men | 19.07.2013

Completed

Le Bourg-d'OisansLe Grand-Bornand

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Live Updates

ByThe Editorial Team

Updated 19/07/2013 at 16:39 GMT

123km

Philippe Gilbert has been dropped by the peloton. The world champion has had a disappointing Tour. To be fair, save winning the rainbow jersey in Valkenberg last September, he's had a disappointing couple of years.

123.5km

That big chasing group seems to have split in half on this long, seemingly interminable climb of the Col du Madeleine. Hesjedal and Rolland can be seen looking to their left down the valley to see where their chasers are.

125km

Pierre Rolland has managed to catch Ryder Hesjedal and so we now have two riders once again out in front. They have 12 minutes over the peloton. You have to fancy their chances - although don't discount those riders in the chasing group, who are 2:20 back.

127km

Cadel Evans has been dropped by the peloton and is hugging the wheel of fellow Australian veteran Stuart O'Grady. The former winner from BMC has really struggled in this year's race after an initially solid opening week.

127.5km

The Cavendish trio has been caught now by the peloton. That was one of the odder moves of the race. We're not sure if Vanmarcke has been caught too, or if he rode clear.

129km

Belkin's Sep Vanmarcke has joined the Kwiatkowski/Pineau/Cavendish OPQS group which is riding three minutes ahead of the peloton. It goes to show that the pace isn't too high if Cav can ride clear on an HC mountain. In fact, the peloton now trails Hesjedal by 11:20.

130km

Marcel Kittel and Andre Greipel are struggling off the back of the peloton - it must have been a tricky few days for the German sprinters.

131km

Ian Stannard and Geraint Thomas front the peloton for Sky, which trails lone leader Ryder Hesjedal by 10 minutes. Up front, Rolland rides 45 seconds behind the Canadian leader, who is looking in good nick.

133km

Rui Costa, the stage 16 winner, and Jose Serpa have attacked from the break in pursuit of the leaders.

134km

Rolland has just caught Izaguirre - and passed him too. The Frenchman looks very strong today. The only thing acting against him will be the final descent...

135km

Dutchman Tom Veelers (Argos Shimano) has retired from the race - so we're down to 173 riders following his and Jack Bauer's abandonments today. Veelers was involved in that spat with Mark Cavendish in the second week - and he was also the Lanterne Rouge. With Veelers gone, the new last placed rider on GC is Dmitry Muravyev of Astana.

136.5km

ATTACK: Hesjedal decides to go alone and accelerates clear of Jon Izaguirre. The Canadian clearly has the legs today - at least, he does at the moment, but there's still a very long way to go...

137km

Sky still lead the back through Geraint Thomas as they come onto the Col du Madeleine in the town of La Chambre. They trail the leaders by 8:50.

138km

It has to be said, Pierre Rolland looks so much better in regulation Europcar colours than in the polka dots he wore for so long earlier in the race. He trails the leaders by just 1:20 now.

139km

ATTACK: Rolland has put in a dig at the start of the Col de Madeleine. Riblon tries to follow, but then gives up and returns to the other three chasers, who are about to be caught by the big break.

140km

The leading duo are onto the climb! They still have 8:30 on the yellow jersey pack, with the chasing quintet 1:35 down, but almost caught by the rest of that large break.

142km

Hesjedal is stuffing his face on the front of the race, with the pint-sized Izaguirre in his wheel. They're aproaching the Cat HC Col de la Madeleine (2,000m high; 19.2km at 7.9%),

145km

We've reached the bottom of the descent now - it won't be long before Hesjedal and Izaguirre have to start heading back uphill on the Madeleine. The Kwiatkowski trio have more than a minute on the peloton now.

146km

CRASH: Svein Tuft of Orica-GreenEdge has taken a tumble on the descent.

148km

Omega Pharma-Quick Step have gone on a triple offensive, with Mark Cavendish, Michal Kwiatkowski and Jerome Pineau riding off the front of the Sky-led peloton on this long descent. Which is odd.

150km

Juan Antonio Flecha of Vacansoleil has joined the chasing group of Rolland, Riblon, Cunego and Moser.

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