Stage 19: "Remco was really held up – there could have been even more in it"

A monument in cycling: The mountain finish at Alpe d’Huez – Part 1. This year, the myth is on the schedule twice. Stage 19 was all about the first victory on the famous summit. After the 21 switchbacks, Tadej Pogačar won. "Chapeau to him. That was really, really fast right from the start," says Ralph Denk, team manager of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. The top priority for his team was securing the podium for Remco Evenepoel. This was successful, even though the Belgian was slowed down during his attack. "Remco was really held up – there could have been even more in it," said Denk. Accordingly, the top rider did not know exactly where the barriers began and therefore had to accelerate twice to distance his competitors. Tomorrow, Alpe d’Huez will be ridden again. This time from the other side, including the Col de Galibier. It won't be any easier. "The climb from the other side is significantly narrower. I'm curious to see how the organizers will solve this," says the team manager, who sees the massive effort for the organization and his team. "As beautiful as this cycling festival is here, logistically it's a horror," Denk says, reporting on long queues of trucks fighting their way through the mountains. Photo: Imago/Foto News