Bernal stamps his authority on Tour de France, set to win title

Cycling - Tour de France - The 126.5-km Stage 19 from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Tignes - July 26, 2019 - Team INEOS rider Egan Bernal of Colombia celebrates on the podium, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

TIGNES, France (Reuters) - Egan Bernal looked set to become the first Colombian rider to win the Tour de France after claiming the lead – and the Team Ineos leadership -- in dramatic conditions in a 19th stage that was cut short by a hailstorm and a landslide on Friday.

The Team Ineos rider attacked some five kilometres from the top of the Col de l'Iseran to drop a small pack of overall contenders and his lead increased as he crushed the pedals in a unique demonstration of climbing power.