Tadej Pogačar won Stage 19 on Alpe d’Huez in a record 35 minutes 27 seconds, extending his overall lead to 7 minutes 11 seconds over Remco Evenepoel, and becoming the second yellow jersey winner on the mountain after Geraint Thomas. It was his fifth Tour stage victory, and he caught and dropped the large break in the final 800 meters after reeling them in from 1.8 km out. Richard Carapaz claimed Stage 18 in a breakaway, cementing his own success as the race moves toward Paris. UAE Team Emirates XRG reported illness within the squad, with Brandon McNulty and Tim Wellens affected, though Pogacar’s GC advantage remained secure. Valentin Paret-Peintre had earlier dominated the mountain points on Stage 18, continuing to press the polka-dot competition. The stage-to-stage drama and ongoing Alpine route kept the race highly competitive as riders chase stage glory and GC seconds.