From 80.5 to 57.7 miles: The 19th stage Tour de France shortened due to infected cows

The 19th stage of the Tour de France was shortened because cows with a contagious disease were culled near the initial mountainous course. Originally, the route covered 80.5 miles from Albertville to La Plagne, but the stage was reduced to 57.7 miles. 

The Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) said in a statement: “The discovery of an outbreak of contagious nodular dermatitis (lumpy skin) affecting cattle in a herd located specifically in the Col des Saisies necessitated the culling of the animals… Given the consternation of the breeders concerned, and in order to maintain the calm of the race, it was decided, in agreement with the authorities, to modify the route of the 19th stage and not to cross the Col des Saisies.” 

Two of the five climbs were eliminated from the original course, including the 13.7-kilometre Col des Saisies. Moreover, the stage’s start was delayed by an hour–it was supposed to start at 2:30 p.m. local time (12:30 GMT), with an anticipated finish time of 5:30 p.m. 

Three-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar was leading the overall standings before the stage, with Denmark’s two-time champion Jonas Vingegaard in second place. Stage 19 was Vingegaard’s final realistic opportunity to surpass Pogacar and claim the yellow jersey. 

Tour de France prize money 

The 2025 Tour de France is not just about the honour of wearing the yellow jersey or winning special awards. Riders also compete for a total prize fund of €2.3 million (S$3.4 million). The largest individual prize is awarded to the cyclist who wins the overall race and secures the yellow jersey. The rider who wears the yellow jersey each day of the tournament receives a daily bonus of €500, which can accumulate to as much as €10,000 over the course of the 20 stages.

Cyclists earn points also for sprints during the race. Competitors strive in every stage to win the green jersey as each sprint awards cash prizes of €1,500 for first place, €1,000 for second place, and €500 for third place. The race’s top climber is awarded the polka dot jersey and will receive prize money as well. The cyclists accumulate points for this specific jersey by being the first to reach the summits of hills and mountains.

Furthermore, each Tour de France stage awards a total prize of €28,650, and it is distributed among the top 20 finishers. Over the course of the 21 stages, this adds up to more than €600,000 in total prize money.

Read more about Tour de France’s prize money allocations here.