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<\/a><\/p>\nIn a statement, the race organization cited<\/a> \u201cthe distress of local farmers\u201d and the need to \u201cpreserve the serenity of the race\u201d as key reasons for the decision, which was made in agreement with public health authorities. The neutral start remains in Albertville, but the official racing will now begin after a 7-km parade, with riders rejoining the original route just before Beaufort.<\/p>\n The revised course still features an uphill finish in La Plagne. However, the absence of the early climbs could limit opportunities for GC shakeups. This could be a bit of a blow to Jonas Vingegaard. The Visma \u2013 Lease a Bike rider trails race leader Tadej Poga\u010dar by more than four minutes. The Dane, although quite a bit behind, has been riding very aggressively in this final week, although he hasn\u2019t clawed back any seconds.<\/p>\n Poga\u010dar, who cracked on the Col de la Loze during last year\u2019s Tour, exorcised those demons on Stage 18 by dropping Vingegaard<\/a> on the same climb and surging to second place behind Australian Ben O\u2019Connor. With one final summit finish left, the Slovenian appears to have one hand on his third yellow jersey. And a polka dots\u2026 and maybe a green.<\/a><\/p>\n