The expected general classification fireworks did not materialise on stage 19 of the Tour de France, as Thymen Arensman won the final Alpine stage of this punishing race in La Plagne.
Tadej Pogacar followed Jonas Vingegaard over the line just behind Arensman, a fourth overall crown now looking safe with his lead at four minutes 24 seconds over Vingegaard, who took back a couple of bonus seconds but nothing more on this final opportunity to make major changes to the standings.
But Oscar Onley saw his podium dream at the Tour de France fade as, having started the day 22 seconds behind third-placed Florian Lipowitz, he faded towards the summit of La Plagne to concede 41 seconds and stay fourth overall.
It was a second stage win of his debut Tour for Arensman, who had scored a much-needed victory for the Ineos Grenadiers on stage 14 on Superbagneres.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG had looked determined to set up Pogacar for what would have been an a fifth stage victory of this race on the final climb, but Arensman tried a number of attacks and when he went clear with 13km of the climb remaining, he managed to open a gap.
His advantage over Pogacar, Vingegaard, Onley and Lipowitz hovered at around 30 seconds, and the fatigue in everyone's legs perhaps told as the anticipated attack from behind never really materialised. Pogacar said afterwards he opted to set a “defensive rhythm” on the hors-categorie climb.
It was only when Onley began to struggle that Lipowitz saw his opportunity to finish off the Scot, moving to the front and upping the pace. But even so, Arensman hung on to win by just two seconds over the accelerating Vingegaard.
“I feel absolutely destroyed,” Arensman said. “I can't believe it. Already to win one stage in the Tour was unbelievable from a breakaway, but now to do it against the GC group, against the strongest riders in the world, it feels like I'm dreaming. I don't know what I just did.”
The discovery of a contagious disease amongst cattle in the area had forced changes to the route, which was shortened from 129.9 kilometres to 95km, removing two climbs but leaving the main tests of the Col du Pre and the finish to La Plagne, still with 3,250m of climbing packed in.
Primoz Roglic had been immediately on the attack in an all-or-nothing attempt to move up from fifth overall, but he was caught before the final climb and quickly distanced, losing more than 12 minutes and slipping to eighth in the general classification.
With a hilly but not mountainous stage from Nantua to Pontarlier on the menu for Saturday before Sunday’s run into Paris - which this year includes the Montmartre climb - there could still be some changes at the sharp end of the general classification but it is difficult to see the podium changing.
