Stage 19

The road

At the start

Pogačar loses white on the Cotos

Miguel Ángel López attacked again and again on the Puerto de Cotos and this time it was Pogačar who cracked, handing the young rider's jersey back to the Colombian, while up the road the debutant Sergio Higuita took the biggest win of his life. Roglič leads Valverde by 2:50, Quintana by 3:31. Today crosses the plateau from Ávila to Toledo with one third-category climb and wide straight roads after it.

How it was won

1. 165 km to go

   Jumbo-Visma slide out

   On a wet descent 65km from Toledo most of Jumbo-Visma crash, Roglič among them; up front Movistar drive on regardless, pressing the advantage for fifteen kilometres against cycling's unwritten code before easing.

2. 230 km to go

   Crosswinds split it again

   With 30km to go the race fractures in the crosswinds; Roglič is caught out once more while Valverde and López make the front and Pogačar bridges.

3. 325 km to go

   Cavagna sets off alone

   The tireless Rémi Cavagna — in echelons, in breaks, leading out sprints all race long — attacks solo 25km out and quickly takes twenty seconds.

4. 4At the line

   Cavagna solos into Toledo

   Cavagna carries thirty seconds under the flamme rouge and holds on for a deserved solo win, Bennett leading the bunch home five seconds later.

The result