Tour de France stage 20 concludes with Carapaz victory
Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) secured his second stage victory in three days on Saturday, winning the final mountain stage 20 of the Tour de France. The Ecuadorian rider, already a stage winner in Orcières-Merlette and third in Friday’s stage to Alpe d’Huez, capitalized on two late falls by Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike) in the final 10km to claim the win on Alpe d’Huez. Carapaz also confirmed his lead in the King of the Mountains classification, securing the polka dot jersey.
The stage saw a 14-rider breakaway form early, including Carapaz, Kuss, and Jai Hindley (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe). Carapaz was active throughout, attacking on the Col de la Croix de Fer and later claiming the Souvenir Henri Desgranges for being the first rider over the race’s highest point. Despite Kuss initially dropping his companions with 17.4km remaining, Carapaz maintained his pursuit. Kuss’s falls, first at the exit of a tunnel and then almost over a wall on a descent, allowed Carapaz to pass him and extend his lead to 31 seconds by the finish line. Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) finished second, 26 seconds behind Carapaz, with Kuss being overtaken in the final 500 metres.
Race leader Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) finished fourth on the stage, effectively confirming his fifth overall victory in the Tour de France. Pogacar spent the day working as a domestique for his teammate Isaac del Toro, ensuring Del Toro secured the final spot on the general classification podium and the white jersey for the best young rider. Pogacar and Del Toro crossed the finish line together, a gesture Pogacar described as providing “goosebumps” and a memory.
Shortened final stage in Paris
The final stage of the Tour de France in Paris will be shortened due to wildfires elsewhere in France. The decision was made in a joint statement by the Tour organizer, ASO, and the prefecture police. The ministry of the interior has redeployed some internal security forces, initially assigned to the final stage, to reinforce efforts in the areas affected by the wildfires.
The modified route for the final stage will now be 89km long, reduced from the originally planned 133km. The stage will commence on the Champs-Élysées, featuring two laps of the avenue followed by circuits of the Butte Montmartre. The publicity caravan is scheduled to depart from Thoiry at 1:20 PM, proceeding directly to the final circuit in Paris after a parade. Team presentations are set for 3:40 PM, after which riders will travel directly to the final circuit.
Wildfires near Bordeaux and Biscarrosse, in the Landes region, have destroyed more than 36,000 hectares of forest. This marks the third instance in this year’s race where a stage has been subject to prefecture intervention due to wildfires or a heatwave.
Safety concerns raised after Alpe d’Huez incidents
Following Friday’s chaotic climb on Alpe d’Huez, significant concerns were raised regarding spectator behavior and rider safety. Incidents included in-race motorbikes being blocked by crowds, which stalled an attack from Evenepoel. A lack of crowd control also led to Movistar climber Einer Rubio abandoning the race after colliding with the rear windscreen of a UAE team car. Rubio was transported by helicopter to a hospital in Grenoble, where he received 20 stitches for facial injuries. The crash was reportedly caused by an unruly spectator falling in front of the car, forcing it to brake suddenly.
Race director Thierry Gouvenou commented on the incident, suggesting that older car models might have prevented the accident, seemingly attributing blame to modern braking sensors. Further footage emerged of fans wrestling over gifts from the caravane publicitaire and climbing on moving race vehicles, contributing to the perception of a race that was out of control. French national champion Romain Grégoire described spectators as being “so drunk that it was more like being slapped on the arse, than getting pushes.” Klaas Lodewyck, Evenepoel’s Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe sports director, stated that while cheering is acceptable, punching side mirrors and banging on windows crosses a line.
The spat between Carapaz and French climber Lenny Martinez also continued into Saturday morning. Carapaz had accused Martinez of “cutting in front” of him on the final corner of Friday’s stage. Martinez, however, remained unconcerned, stating, “I knew I had to be first through the corner. We’re not at Club Med – I’m not letting him go first.”
Pogacar, who extended his overall lead on Friday, could afford to concede 39 seconds to Evenepoel on Saturday and will begin Sunday’s shortened stage into Paris with a lead of six minutes and 26 seconds.
Source: theguardian.com
As NewsGB's Senior Football Correspondent, Jack Ferndale reports on the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side for readers across the country. He covered north-east football for a regional daily. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from the University of Sunderland and completed an NCTJ diploma. Jack lives in Sunderland, where he watches lower-league football home and away. “The story is in the squad, not just the starting eleven.”
