Pogacar on Brink of Equalling Record with Fifth Tour Title, Carapaz Wins Stage
Tadej Pogacar is on the verge of making history by winning his fifth Tour de France, while Richard Carapaz claims victory on Stage 20 atop Alpe d'Huez and Sepp Kuss suffers two crashes.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Tadej Pogacar is set to win his fifth Tour de France, equalling the all-time record.
- Richard Carapaz of EF Education-Easypost wins Stage 20 and takes the polka dot King of the Mountains jersey.
- Sepp Kuss suffers two late crashes while leading the group.
- Organizers announce a shortened final stage in Paris to 89 kilometers due to wildfire issues.
The Tour de France cycling race reached Stage 20, considered the hardest stage of the competition, spanning 170.9 kilometers with a total elevation gain of 5,450 meters across three Hors category climbs before finishing at the Alpe d'Huez ski resort. Ecuadorian rider Richard Carapaz from EF Education-Easypost put on a brilliant performance to take the victory, while also securing the polka dot jersey as the King of the Mountains.
Meanwhile, overall leader Tadej Pogacar from UAE Team Emirates is poised to make history by claiming his fifth Tour de France title. If he safely navigates Sunday's final stage without severe accidents, he will immediately match the records of legends Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain. Currently, Pogacar holds a 6-minute and 26-second lead over second-place Remco Evenepoel from Belgium.
Stock photo from archive, not from the actual event
A terrifying incident struck American rider Sepp Kuss from Visma-Lease a Bike, who had been leading the breakaway group within the final 25 kilometers. Kuss was on the verge of victory when his rear wheel slipped on roadside dust, causing him to crash in a right-hand turn and nearly plummeting off a deep cliff had a safety net not caught him. Although he managed to resume his lead briefly, Kuss crashed a second time exiting a tunnel near Alpe d'Huez, opening the door for Carapaz to pedal past and eventually take the stage victory.
For the final stage entering Paris, race organizers ASO announced a shortened distance to 89 kilometers down from the original 133 kilometers, as emergency personnel had to be redeployed to help manage a major wildfire in the southwestern part of the country. Additionally, the finish line route was altered to pass through the Montmartre district instead of riding on the traditional Champs-Elysees cobblestones.
The penultimate stage of the Tour de France is often a test of physical and mental marvel for the riders. Having Hors category mountain stages scheduled late in the race means accumulated fatigue becomes a critical variable causing mistakes like Sepp Kuss's crash. Combined with the sudden route change due to the wildfire situation in France, it demonstrates the resilience and emergency management capabilities of world-class cycling race organizers.
Regarding other awards, Denmark's Mads Pedersen from Lidl-Trek is set to claim the green points jersey after building an 82-point lead over Jasper Philipsen. Meanwhile, 19-year-old rising star Paul Seixas from France delivered an exceptional performance to rank 4th overall in the general classification, 11 minutes and 56 seconds behind Pogacar.
Source: BBC Sport
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