Pogacar set for Tour de France glory in shortened finale as Carapaz wins stage 20
Tour de France Stage 20 Concludes Amidst Drama
Richard Carapaz of EF Education-Easypost secured his second stage victory of the Tour de France on Saturday, winning the challenging 20th stage. This stage, which covered 170.9km and included 5,450 metres of climbing across three hors category climbs, culminated in Alpe d’Huez. Carapaz’s win also solidified his lead in the King of the Mountains classification, earning him the polka dot jersey.
The stage was marked by significant drama, particularly involving Sepp Kuss of Visma-Lease a Bike. Kuss, who had been leading solo with approximately 25km remaining, experienced two crashes within the final 7km. The second incident saw him nearly fall down a sheer drop, saved only by safety netting. These crashes allowed Carapaz to overtake and claim the stage win. Kuss ultimately finished third in the stage, with Remco Evenepoel of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe taking second place.
Meanwhile, Tadej Pogacar, representing UAE Team Emirates-XRG, finished fourth in the stage. He dedicated his efforts to assisting his teammate, Isaac del Toro, who provisionally secured third place on the overall podium and the young rider classification’s white jersey. Pogacar and Del Toro crossed the finish line together, a gesture that Pogacar described as a memorable achievement and a moment of “goosebumps.”
Safety Concerns and Race Adjustments
The final stage of the Tour de France, traditionally a procession into Paris, has been shortened due to ongoing wildfires in other parts of France. The race organiser, ASO, in a joint statement with the prefecture police, announced that a portion of internal security forces initially assigned to the final stage would be redeployed to assist with wildfire response efforts. The stage will now be 89km long, starting on the Champs-Élysées and including circuits of the Butte Montmartre.
Wildfires near Bordeaux and Biscarrosse have affected over 36,000 hectares of forest, making this the third stage of this year’s Tour to be impacted by either wildfires or a heatwave. This situation has led to discussions regarding resource allocation and race safety.
Safety concerns were also prominent following Friday’s chaotic climb up Alpe d’Huez. Incidents involving large crowds, including some unruly spectators, endangered both riders and fans. One notable event saw Movistar climber Einer Rubio abandon the race after colliding with a UAE team car, an incident attributed to a spectator falling in front of the vehicle. The crash resulted in Rubio being transported to a hospital in Grenoble with facial injuries requiring 20 stitches.
Race director Thierry Gouvenou commented on the incident, suggesting that older car models might have prevented it. Team officials also voiced concerns, with Klaas Lodewyck, sports director for Evenepoel’s team, highlighting the difference between enthusiastic cheering and disruptive behaviour that impacts rider safety.
Pogacar Nears Historic Fifth Title
Pogacar is poised to secure a record-equalling fifth Tour de France title, matching the achievements of riders such as Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain. He holds a lead of six minutes and 26 seconds over Evenepoel in the general classification heading into the final shortened stage. Del Toro is currently in third place overall, more than two minutes ahead of Paul Seixas of Decathlon CMA-CGM, who is in fourth.
Pogacar’s performance in the final mountain stages demonstrated his strategic approach, particularly his decision to support Del Toro. This effort ensured Del Toro maintained his position for the white jersey and a podium finish. The 19-year-old Seixas, a rival for the white jersey, lost ground on the Col de Sarenne, ultimately finishing the stage in ninth place.
The final stage on Sunday is traditionally not contested for overall standings, meaning Pogacar is expected to confirm his victory, provided he avoids any race-ending incidents. Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek is set to win the green points jersey, holding an uncatchable lead over Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin-Premier Tech.
The general classification after stage 20 shows Pogacar leading with a time of 72 hours, 53 minutes, and 44 seconds.
Source: theguardian.com
