JAKARTA - French cyclist Christophe Laporte ended France's long drought at home in the Tour de France, by winning the 19th stage. The feat earned the home fans something to celebrate for the first time in more than a year.
Laporte fought for the Jumbo-Visma team alongside yellow jersey holder Jonas Vingegaard and points leader Wout van Aert, after a tight battle in the closing moments, before darting 300 meters before the final line.
Belgian cyclist Jasper Philipsen finished second, while Italian cyclist Alberto Dainese finished third. The two were one second behind Laporte.
Vingegaard finished close to Philipsen and Dainese with a difference of five seconds.
Vingegaard still leads the overall standings by 3 minutes 26 seconds ahead of the final stage of this Saturday's time trial which is 40.7 km from Lacapelle-Marival to Rocamadour.
Sprinter specialist Laporte, who has no chance of winning this year's stage, got the green light from his sporting director to do so in Friday's race, 22 July. He managed to do it after the French riders went through 38 stages without ever winning it.
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They have not won a stage since world champion Julian Alaphilippe, who missed out on this year's race due to recovering from injury, won on the opening day of last year.
"French people have been waiting for this win, and I'm happy to give it to them," said Laporte, who joined the Jumbo-Visma team this year, after seven seasons with a Cofidis side that has not won since 2008.
"Joining Jumbo is 100 percent the reason I won," said Laporte, as reported by Antara, Saturday, July 23.
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