Pogacar set for Tour title as Groves wins penultimate stage

Tadej Pogacar will win his fourth Tour de France title after Kaden Groves won the race’s penultimate stage. Tadej Pogacar will maintain his overall lead.

With only 16 kilometers left, Australian sprinter Groves launched a solo attack in Pontarlier to claim his first Tour stage victory.

Pogacar successfully completed the 184.2 km climb up the peloton, ensuring that, if an accident occurs, the 26-year-old Slovenian will defend his title on Sunday.

With victories at the Vuelta a Espana and the Giro d’Italia, Groves has now won three of the three Grand Tour races, completing the trio that began with him winning the first two.

The 26-year-old made his Tour debut this year under the guidance of Alpecin-Deceuninck, who will now be the third member from the Belgian team to conquer a stage in the 112th stage of cycling’s biggest race.

On the first two stages, Alpecin’s top riders Jasper Philipsen and Mathieu van der Poel won, before being forced to withdraw due to illness and injuries, respectively.

There are “so many emptions to win,” said Groves. “The team, we came here with so many different plans with Jasper and Mathieu,” said the team.

The 160 riders who were still standing had to deal with intermittent rain along the way and soon after the start in Nantua.

Following the second of the day’s four categorised climbs, Groves joined a 13-man breakaway.

With 54 kilometers to go, his fellow EF Education-EasyPost rider was caught on the first slopes of the final ascent, but his compatriot Harry Sweeny attacked over the day’s final climb.

Romain Gregoire, a local favorite, and Ivan Romeo, a Spanish debutant, both sped into a wet turn, and both slipped to the tarmac as a result. Romeo, 21, came off worse as he also slid into the kerb.

With only 16 kilometers left, Groves saw the unfolding of the situation and sensed his opportunity to attack.

Jake Stewart and Frank van den Broek were just tossing one another before the momentary stalemate allowed Groves to escape.

He gradually increased his lead to the line, where he was sobbing after clinching an emotional victory.

“The team gave me a free role in the last few days,”roves continued. We decided whether to pursue it today or tomorrow. However, in the cold weather, I always feel super happy when it rains. It’s my first solo success, and it’s in a Tour stage, which is pretty incredible.

“The Tour is under a lot of pressure,” he said. I’ve won the Vuelta and the Giro, but I’ve always been questioned whether I’m capable enough to win the Tour, which I’ve done now.

I made an early move and made an effort to play my cards correctly. However, that became incredibly challenging as a result of the uphill start. I tried to distance myself from Matteo Jorgenson and Tim Wellens when I made the decision.

Van den Broek fills up after the collision, so I closed that. With 16 kilometers left, I rode full until the final 200 meters while he and Jake Stewart watched each other.

After two exhausting days in the Alps, Jonas Vingegaard appeared to have been unable to significantly reduce Pogacar’s lead.

Pogacar won his third King of the Mountains title on the Tour because he avoided the first categorised climb when the two-time Tour winner did not participate in the first.