Pogacar on verge of fifth Tour de France title after Alpe d’Huez stage win
7 reported
Defending champion Tadej Pogacar is close to winning a record-equalling fifth Tour de France after winning stage 19 to Alpe d'Huez. The 27-year-old UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider pulled more than three minutes back on a breakaway group on the final climb, which was lined with thousands of spectators. Pogacar aims to become the joint-most successful rider in Tour history with five wins, alongside Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain. He holds a lead of seven minutes 11 seconds over Belgium's Remco Evenepoel. Pogacar set a record time on the final climb of 35 minutes 27 seconds, beating Marco Pantani's 1997 mark. The peloton will climb Alpe d'Huez again on Saturday for the race's mountainous 'queen' stage.
What’s reported
Tadej Pogacar won stage 19 of the Tour de France to Alpe d'Huez.
He is aiming for a fifth Tour de France win, which would tie the record held by five riders.
Pogacar leads Remco Evenepoel by seven minutes 11 seconds in the general classification.
Isaac del Toro is third overall, nine minutes 42 seconds behind.
Pogacar set a record time on the final climb of 35 minutes 27 seconds, beating Marco Pantani's 1997 time.
Stage 20 on Saturday will again feature Alpe d'Huez with an extra 2,000 metres of climbing.
Adam Yates helped pace Pogacar after recovering from illness that caused him to lose nearly an hour over two stages.
Key figures
Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia, UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
Remco Evenepoel (Belgium, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe)
Isaac del Toro (Mexico, UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
Lenny Martinez (France, Bahrain-Victorious)
Richard Carapaz (Ecuador, EF Education-Easypost)
Adam Yates (Great Britain, UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
Marco Pantani (Italy, referenced for record time)
Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain (referenced as five-time winners)
Sources: BBC News
