Pogacar set for fourth triumph as Arensman takes narrow stage 19 win

After defending his lead in the final mountain stage of the race this year, Tadej Pogacar will now win his fourth Tour de France while Thymen Arensman fights for a stunning victory at La Plagne.

Pogacar, who lost only two bonus seconds to Jonas Vingegaard in Paris on Sunday, will confirm his most recent victory, pending a remarkable turnaround.

With only two significantly flattering stages remaining, Slovenia currently leads by four minutes, 24 seconds.

The top four riders in the general classification raced Arensman to the finish line at 2,052 meters above sea level in an epic finale, but Vingegaard was two seconds behind.

In the final two kilometers, British cyclist Oscar Onley, 22, lost touch in search of what would have been a remarkable podium finish, allowing Florian Lipowitz to retake third place.

Due to a herd of sickly cattle on the Col des Saisies, the organizers cut the stage’s length from 130km to 95km, and cut two of the five planned Alp climbs according to categorization, changing the route on Friday.

Following the three tackles on Thursday’s queen stage, the route still featured two hors categorie climbs, with the Col du Pre completing La Plagne before the finish line.

Pogacar once more demonstrated that his main concern is still firmly in maintaining his dominating lead in the general classification after repressuring victory on Thursday’s queen stage.

He initially planned to attack Arensman and claim his fifth stage victory in this year’s race, but instead he closely watched Vingegaard and followed when his main rival made a late winning attempt.

The Slovenian has once more demonstrated his class above his competition in 2025 with this race, which is scheduled to be the sixth consecutive win won by either Pogacar or two-time champion Vingegaard.

“I’m happy that today is over because it was a difficult three days,” he said. Pogacar claimed that this Tour de France is beginning to feel very long.

After the Briton’s outstanding ride up the majestic Col de la Loze put him within 22 seconds of an unlikely podium finish, with huge time gaps separating the majority of the top 10 riders.

Onley, a Team Picnic-PostNL rider, has improved significantly since his first Tour, but the Scot was the one who fell first on the 19.1km final climb, rising at a brutal average gradient of 7.2%, before falling 41 seconds behind Lipowitz.

Onley started the race with the intention of capturing a stage victory, but his future is uncertain as he places in the top four of the sport’s most promising young riders.

However, Arensman’s and British team Ineos Grenadiers had a good time this day.

After Pogacar and Vingegaard initially intervened, the 25-year-old broke free in the final 13 kilometers and, much to his dismay, was not found.

Arensman expressed his complete destruction of the world.

“I can’t believe it,” I thought. It feels like I’m dreaming now that I’ve won one stage of the Tour, which was previously unbelievable as a breakaway.