Nice, France — Tadej Pogacar moved a step closer to claiming his third Tour de France title after a dramatic victory over rival Jonas Vingegaard in Stage 20 of the race on Saturday. The Slovenian cyclist showcased his dominance in the mountains, leaving the defending champion behind in a thrilling uphill sprint.
The 132.8-kilometer mountain stage from Nice was expected to be a battleground between Pogacar and Vingegaard, and it did not disappoint. In the final ascent, Vingegaard attempted to break away to secure his position in the general classification. However, Pogacar shadowed his every move, staying firmly on his wheel.
As they approached the finish line, Pogacar unleashed a powerful burst of speed with 250 meters to go, overtaking the exhausted Dane. Crossing the line with a triumphant punch in the air, Pogacar secured his fifth stage win in this year’s race and further solidified his lead.
“I enjoyed it very much. I couldn’t be happier with another stage win,” Pogacar said after the stage. “Just one more day, and tomorrow I think I’m going to enjoy it as well. If you had told me this before the Tour, I would not have believed it.”
With this victory, Pogacar now leads Vingegaard by five minutes and 14 seconds in the overall standings. Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel remains in third place, trailing by an additional two minutes and fifty seconds.
The stage was a tough one for Vingegaard, who had hoped to distance himself from Evenepoel. Despite a valiant effort, he was unable to shake off Pogacar, ultimately conceding the stage win to his rival.
“Vingegaard showed today he was not easy to crack and he did a good ride today,” Pogacar acknowledged. “Tomorrow let’s stay safe.”
The Tour de France concludes on Sunday with an individual time trial between Monaco and Nice — a historic first as the race ends outside Paris due to the upcoming Summer Olympics. Cyclists will need to summon their remaining strength for one last challenge before the champion is crowned.
Elsewhere in the race, Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz secured the polka dot jersey for the mountains classification after an impressive performance, while Biniam Girmay of Eritrea clinched the green jersey for the points classification.
As anticipation builds for the final stage, all eyes are on Pogacar as he stands on the brink of adding another Tour de France title to his illustrious career.
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Merciless Pogacar puts hammer down to top Vingegaard again in Stage 20
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