In an unexpected turn of events, the organizers of the Tour de France have announced a significant change to the route of Stage 19, which will now feature a shortened distance of 95 kilometers from Albertville to La Plagne. This decision comes amid a culling of infected cows due to a contagious disease outbreak in the local cattle herd, prompting the race officials to reroute the stage to avoid the affected areas. The modification has cancelled the Col des Saisies segment and marked this stage as a critical opportunity for general classification riders, particularly for Jonas Vingegaard as he aims to challenge his rival Tadej Pogacar in the final mountainous clash of the event.