Another success in yellow for Tadej Pogačar

Fifth success in the Grande Boucle 2024 and now only 33,67 km of time trial are left ahead of Tadej Pogačar before winning his 3rd Tour de France and completing an amazing double with the Giro d’Italia 2024.

The yellow jersey won stage 19 too, 132,8 km from Nice to the summit arrival of the Col de la Couillole, preceding his direct rival Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) in a final duel after that the duo went clear from the top riders group at -4,3 km, replying to an acceleration by Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step).

Pogačar and Vingegaard bridged the gap from the former members of the main breakaway of the day (Marc Soler for UAE Team Emirates was in the attack), reaching the leading rider Richard Caparaz (Ef-Easypost) at 2400 meters to go.
The first two cyclists of the general classification soon dropped the others in the very final meters with the Slovenian taking his 16th stage win in the Grande Boucle of his career.

Very good performance by João Almeida too, who completed the stage in 6th position (+1’28”).

With only the Monaco-Nice individual time trial to be raced, Pogačar leads the GC with 5’14” on Vingegaard and 8’04” on Evenepoel; Almeida is 4th at 16’45”, with 40” of advantage on Mikel Landa (5th, Soudal-Quick Step), Adam Yates is 6th.
The Slovenian rider conquered the Kom classification.

Pogačar: “I did enjoy this day very much, although it didn’t go as we expected. I’m really happy I got another stage win. Just one more day to go – the ITT. That one, I’m going to enjoy it too. I will just try to come safe to Nice. I hope I can enjoy the crowds.
I was really surprised with how the race exploded at Col de Braus, which is one of my favorite training climbs. Our guys did a super good job so we all got together at the bottom of the next climb. Soler going to the breakaway was fine for us. We wanted to bring as many guys as possible to the final, but Soudal wanted to try and take time on Jonas or go for the stage… and that played in my favor.
“If you had told me this before the Tour de France, I wouldn’t have believed it. I’m lost for words. So happy… I hope I can share this victory with my teammates today, and also tomorrow. Five stage wins are more than enough. One and the yellow jersey would have been enough, really. But you never brake in cycling.
Jonas had gone through some tough days, but he showed today that he is not easy to crack and that he is a real fighter. He did a really good ride and was super strong.”

Stage 20 results
1. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) 4h04’22”
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) +7”
3.Richard Carapaz (Ef-Easypost) +23”

General classification after stage 20
1. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) 85h53’32”
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) +5’14”
3. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step) +8’04”
4. João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) +16’45”
6. Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) +21‘11“