Tour de France 2024, 20th stage: monstrous! Tadej Pogacar wins a fifth time at the top of the Col de la Couillole

Tadej Pogacar s’impose sur la 20e étape. MAXPPP – GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO

l'essentiel Pour la dernière étape de haute montagne, le Maillot Jaune Tadej Pogacar s’impose au sommet du col de la Couillole, devant Jonas Vingegaard et Richard Carapaz. C’est la cinquième victoire du Slovène sur ce Tour. Le Belge Remco Evenepoel a perdu 53 secondes.

Tadej Pogacar won his fifth stage in this 111th edition of the Tour de France by beating his rival Jonas Vingegaard in a sprint on Saturday at the top of the Col de la Couillole.

𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗘 𝗧𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗝 𝗣𝗢𝗚𝗔𝗖𝗔𝗥. Et de cinq victoires d'étape sur ce #TDF2024 pour le Slovène, qui a déposé Jonas Vingegaard à 200 mètres de l'arrivée ! #LesRP pic.twitter.com/kML5jeOsFF

— Eurosport France (@Eurosport_FR) July 20, 2024

The final podium is normally known

On the eve of the final arrival in Nice, the Slovenian further consolidated his lead in the general classification where he now has 5’14 over the Dane and 8’04 over the Belgian Remco Evenepoel who dropped almost a minute on Saturday.

"Five victories, if someone had told me that before the Tour, I wouldn’t have believed it. It’s from another world. I'm so happy,” said the UAE leader. Guaranteed barring an accident to win his third Tour since the day before, the yellow jersey had promised to let it happen on Saturday.

He was actually content to follow his two pursuers in the general standings, including Remco Evenepoel who twice tried to attack before breaking down in the last kilometers. Finding himself in a new mano a mano with Vingegaard, he let the Dane lead the pace before setting him to a sprint with a dazzling acceleration which allowed him to take seven seconds in 200 meters.

La der de Bardet

The two men had just swallowed the last two escapees of the day, the Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz, mathematically assured of winning the polka dot jersey for best climber if he finishes Sunday in Nice, and the Spaniard Enric Mas.

Frenchman Romain Bardet was also part of a group of ten riders who took the lead on the fourth and final climb of this short stage (132 km). The Auvergne climber finished 10th and in tears his last mountain stage of the Tour de France, he who will end his career in June 2025.