Egan Bernal made Tour de France history on Sunday as he became the first Colombian to win the yellow jersey.
Bernal's victory was effectively sealed on a penultimate stage shortened to 59.5 kilometres due to weather concerns, having moved into the lead when stage 19 was brought to a premature end in the Alps due to a hail storm and severe mud slides on the descent of the Col de l'Iseran.
It marked a bizarre end to a thrilling race, with Bernal able to take in his achievement on the processional final stage to Paris, on which he was congratulated by team-mate and 2018 champion Geraint Thomas as they crossed the line on the Champs-Elysees to seal a one-two finish.
As INEOS celebrates yet another Tour win, we look at some of the best Opta facts from a race that will live long in the memory.
BERNAL TRIUMPHS IN TIGHTEST TOUR
- Egan Bernal is the first Colombian rider to win the Tour de France and at 22 years, 6 months and 15 days old, he is the third-youngest winner of the race after Henri Cornet (1904) and Francois Faber (1909).
- With a difference between the winner (Bernal) and third place (Steven Kruijswijk) of 1'33", this is the tightest podium in the history of the Tour de France.
- Bernal is the third Colombian rider to win a Grand Tour after Nairo Quintana (Giro d'Italia 2014 and Vuelta a Espana 2016) and Lucho Herrera (Vuelta a Espana 1987).
- There has been a Colombian rider on the podium in five of the last seven Tour de France editions (Bernal 1st in 2019, Rigoberto Uran 2nd in 2017 and Nairo Quintana 3rd in 2016, 2nd in 2015 and 2nd in 2013).
- Bernal has become the fifth rider to have won both the General Classification and the Young Rider Classification in the same edition of the Tour de France after Laurent Fignon in 1983, Jan Ullrich in 1997, Alberto Contador in 2007 and Andy Schleck in 2010.
INEOS IN CONTROL
- A Team INEOS rider (previously Team Sky) has won in seven of the last eight Tour de France editions (Bradley Wiggins 2012; Chris Froome 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017; Geraint Thomas 2018 and Egan Bernal 2019). No other trade team has won this race with four different riders.
- It is the second time that two riders of Team INEOS have been on the first two positions of the General Classification (Egan Bernal and Geraint Thomas). The first time was in 2012 with Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome.
- British riders have finished on the podium in six of the last seven Tour de France editions, only failing to do so in 2014.
SUPER SAGAN
- Peter Sagan won the Points Classification for a record seventh time, something that nobody has done before in the Tour de France (Erik Zabel, 6).
- The Slovak has won the Points Classification at the Tour de France in seven of the last eight years (DSQ in 2017).
- Sagan has recorded at least one stage win in six of his last eight Tour de France appearances, only failing to do so in 2014 and 2015.
ALAPHILIPPE EMULATES HINAULT
- Julian Alaphilippe wore the yellow jersey for 14 stages in this year’s Tour de France, it was 34 years since a French rider had done this (Bernard Hinault, 17 stages in 1985).
- Three different French riders (Warren Barguil, 2017; Julian Alaphilippe, 2018 and Romain Bardet, 2019) have won the Mountain Classification of the Tour de France in three consecutive years for first time since it was established in 1933.
- Thibaut Pinot has abandoned the race in four of his seven Tour de France appearances.
- Romain Bardet won the Mountain Classification for the first time after seven Tour de France appearances.
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