Pogačar shatters Pantani's Alpe d'Huez record to extend Tour lead beyond seven minutes
The Slovenian climbed the 13.8 km ascent in 35 minutes 26 seconds, beating Marco Pantani's 1997 mark, and now leads Remco Evenepoel by 7:11 with one mountain stage remaining.
Record-breaking climb
Tadej Pogačar ascended the 13.8 km Alpe d'Huez in 35 minutes 26 seconds, erasing Marco Pantani's 1997 record. He became only the second rider to win on the iconic climb while wearing the yellow jersey. The victory was his fifth stage win of this Tour and all but seals a record-equalling fifth overall title.
Team overcomes illness
UAE Emirates-XRG entered the stage depleted. Brandon McNulty had abandoned with flu, Adam Yates had been "white like a wall" earlier in the week, and Tim Wellens was also sick. Despite this, Felix Grossschartner shouldered the workload on the early slopes, and Yates recovered enough to offer moral support when Pogačar caught him mid-climb. Sporting director Matxin Joxean Fernandez wept at the finish.
Adam was really, really bad. In the TT day he was white like a wall, and then he was better and better.
The chase
A 40-strong breakaway built a lead of nearly four minutes. On the lower slopes of Alpe d'Huez, Grossschartner's tempo thinned the group. Pogačar attacked with 12 km to go and began reeling in the escapees. He caught Lenny Martinez and Richard Carapaz inside the final three kilometres and surged clear to win by six seconds. Martinez beat his handlebars in frustration; Carapaz, who had won Thursday's stage, took third.
- Breakaway of 40+ riders gains nearly four minutes
- Pogacar attacks, Grossschartner sets pace
- Pogacar catches Martinez and Carapaz
- Pogacar wins in 35:26, breaks Pantani's record
Atmosphere on the mountain
An estimated 500,000 spectators lined the 21 hairpin bends, some having camped for six days. The noise was deafening; French teenager Paul Seixas said his ears were still ringing after finishing ninth. Pogačar described the atmosphere as "crazy" and thanked the team for delivering him to the base of the climb in position.
It was very cool to win up here, it was a crazy atmosphere all climb and I'm thankful for the team that I could pull it off.
Overall dominance
Pogačar's lead over Remco Evenepoel grew to 7:11. Isaac del Toro sits third at 9:42 and leads the young riders' classification. Barring disaster, Pogačar will equal the record of five Tour victories held by Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain when the race ends in Paris on Sunday.
Queen stage and Paris
Saturday's stage 20 returns to Alpe d'Huez with an extra 2,000 metres of climbing. Pogačar indicated he would ride conservatively to protect del Toro's podium spot. The Tour concludes with the traditional Champs-Élysées stage on Sunday.
Tomorrow is the queen stage of the Tour. After that we have a beautiful day in Paris. But tomorrow will be the hardest day of the Tour. Today we won; tomorrow, we'll see.
