Tadej Pogacar is on the cusp of making history, poised to secure a record-equalling fifth Tour de France title following a gruelling Stage 20 that saw Ecuador's Richard Carapaz claim a dramatic victory on the iconic Alpe d'Huez. Barring an unforeseen incident on Sunday's largely ceremonial final stage into Paris, the 27-year-old Slovenian will join an elite group of riders including Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain as the most successful in the Tour's storied history.
The penultimate stage, considered the 'queen' stage of the three-week Grand Tour, featured 5,450 metres of climbing over 170.9km, culminating in a second ascent of Alpe d'Huez. Pogacar, riding for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, finished the stage in fourth place. His strategic riding was evident as he supported his Mexican teammate Isaac del Toro, helping him provisionally secure third place on the overall podium and the coveted white jersey for the young rider classification. Pogacar's dominant performance throughout the race means he will claim the yellow jersey in Paris with a commanding lead of six minutes and 26 seconds over Belgium's Remco Evenepoel of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, who finished Stage 20 in second, 26 seconds behind Carapaz.
The stage itself was marked by high drama, particularly involving American rider Sepp Kuss of Visma-Lease a Bike. Kuss, who was part of a large early breakaway and attacked alone with approximately 25km remaining, looked set for a solo victory. However, the 31-year-old, a former Vuelta a España winner, crashed twice in quick succession. The first incident saw his rear wheel slide on dust, sending him into safety netting, while the second occurred exiting a tunnel near Alpe d'Huez. These mishaps allowed the tenacious Carapaz of EF Education-Easypost, the 2019 Giro d'Italia winner, to sweep past and claim his second stage win in three days, also securing the King of the Mountains jersey.
Race organisers ASO announced a significant change for Sunday's final stage. The distance to Paris has been reduced from 133km to 89km to allow emergency services to redirect resources towards tackling devastating wildfires in the south-west of France. While the final stage traditionally culminates in a sprint finish on the Champs-Élysées, a new section over Montmartre introduces a potential opportunity for breakaway riders with sustained power to challenge for a stage victory.
For British cycling fans, Tom Pidcock of Pinarello-Q36.5 delivered a strong performance, finishing Stage 20 in 16th place, nine minutes and three seconds behind Carapaz. Pidcock is set to conclude the Tour in ninth position overall in the General Classification, a commendable achievement. Meanwhile, Denmark's Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek is assured of winning the green points jersey, needing only to finish the final stage, holding an unassailable 82-point lead over Belgium's Jasper Philipsen.