Tour de France enters the Alps with three Mountainous Stages

2019 Tour de France enters it's final week with three Brutal mountain stages that will decide the over winner before rolling into Paris

Here's our run down of the three Alpine key stages, where we believe the 2019 Tour de France will be won or lost

Stage 18 to Valloire, July 25

The race heads into the Alps for its first grueling day of 207 kilometers that climb the Col de Vars (2,109m) and the Col d’Izoard (2,360m) before dropping down to the town of Briançon.

They then cross the summit of the Galibier (2,642m) via the Col du Lautaret, before descending to the finish in Valloire.

With three summits at over 2000 metres high, the great Alpine classics of Vars, Izoard and Galibier speak for themselves!

This is the first time the Tour has visited all three mountain passes since 2011. The finish line comes after a very technical descent.

Stage 19 to Tignes, July 26

The second Alpine day is a short 123 km stage with three categorised climbs before the summit finish in Tignes at 2,089m.

First there is the massive Col de l’Iseran, at 2,770m its one of the highest road passes in Europe.

The Col de l’Iseran will be climbed for the eighth time in Tour history and the second time from south side, which is the toughest one, 13km of climbing before a steep, fast trecherous descent into the valley below.

The peloton will swing past Tignes dam and start a final 7.5km climb before a final flat kilometre to rounds out the stage in the thin mountain air.

Stage 20 to Val Thorens, July 27

This is the final showdown before a flight to Paris for the final sprint and celebration on the streets of Paris. Val Thorens featured once before on the Tour, on a stage won by the Colombian Nelson Rodriguez.

This is where the Tour could be won (or lost). Can the yellow jersey hold on or will it be stolen at the 11th hour?

Stage 20 will be the third mountain finish over 2,000 metres, the first time this has ever happened. 

The stage includes the scenic and beautiful climb of the Cormet de Roselend.

The stage includes 4,450 metres of climbing over 123km. This stage doubles as the Etape du Tour for 2019 which has already sold out.