Preview: Everything you need to know about Stage 19 of the 2017 Tour de France

Date: Friday, July 21
Start: Embrun
Finish: Salon-de-Provence
Distance: 222.5km (138.2mi)

The longest stage of the 2017 Tour, Stage 19 travels towards the coast and presents the peloton with the typical break versus sprinters battle. With five-time stage winner this year Marcel Kittel (Quickstep Floors) abandoning on Stage 17,  Stage 19 presents other sprinters with a key opportunity of grabbing a stage win before the final showdown on the Champs-Élysées. However, it also means one less team willing to contribute to the chase, so that responsibility will likely fall to Lotto-Soudal and Sunweb for their respected men of Andre Greipel and green jersey wearer Michael Matthews. If a breakaway is to be successful, look to specialists such as Steve Cummings (Dimension Data) and Tony Gallopin (Lotto-Soudal) to try and initiate the winning move.

Christian Prudhomme, race director: “Beware not to be gently rocked by the relaxed atmosphere of the villages of Provence, the lavender fields and the olive trees of Lubéron. It’ll be the longest stage of the Tour and will start by a hilly portion, tough on the legs. It’ll be a final opportunity for escapees to witness glory. Just as long as they manage to stay clear of the hungry pack all the way to the finish line.”