Ben Swift 12th in stage 19 of Le Tour

UAE Team Emirates’ Ben Swift led the main breakaway of stage 19 until the last 17 km crossing the finish line in 12th place.
Stage 19 (Embrun-Salon de Provence, 222,5 km) saw no changes in the General Classification with UAE Team Emirates’ Louis Meintjes heading to the stage 20 in eight place in the GC.

The stage was won by Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) who attacked out of the breakaway in the last 3 km crossing the finish line solo, whilst Chris Froom (Team Sky) retained the yellow jersey with only two stages left.

Commenting on the stage, 28 years old Briton (photo Bettini) said: “My legs were really good and it feels like this week they are still getting better. My ambition was to aim for the sprint but also if there was going to be a group then I wanted to try and join them.
I ended up in a really good group with 20 guys and when it became apparent we were going to stay away I tried to think about the finish.
I think I tried to play it a bit too smart.
In the past I suffered from putting in too much effort and being the first to start working.
So today I tried to look after myself and use the other a bit more. But then I looked behind me and the group was split in half and that was the end of it. I was hard to come back after that“.

Stage 20 will be the second individual time trial of the 2017 Tour de France around Marseille.
The route starts and finishes in the legendary Orange Stade Velodrome, home to the Olympique de Marseille football club. The stage is just 22,5 km long – half the distance for the usual closing individual time trial, so expect some fast times.

Stage 19 results
1 Boasson Hagen Edvald (Dimension Data) 5h06’09”
2 Arndt Nikia (Sunweb) 5″
3 Keukeleire Jens (Orica-Scott) 17″
12 Swift Ben (UAE Team Emirates) 1’37”

General classification after stage 19
1 Froom Chris (Team Sky) 83h26’55”
2 Bardet Romain (Ag2R La Mondiale) 23″
3 Uran Rigoberto (Cannondale-Drapac) 29″
4 Landa Mikel (Team Sky) 1’36”
5 Aru Fabio (Astana) 1’55”
6 Martin Daniel (Quick-Step Floors) 2’56”
7 Yates Simon (Orica-Scott) 4’46”
8 Meintjes Louis (UAE Team Emirates) 6’52”
9 Barguil Warren (Sunweb) 8’22”
10 Contador Alberto (Trek-Segafredo) 8’34”