today 17:20
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The winner of Thursday’s 18th stage of the Tour de France cycling race was Tadej Pogačar from UAE-Team Emirates. With his third triumph at the 108th year, the Slovenian strengthened his position as the leader of the overall standings.
The Danes Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) and the Colombian Richard Carapaz (INEOS Grenadiers) came to the finish line in the next places. The short but challenging Thursday section with the last two obstacles of the highest category measured 130 km and led from Pau to Luz Ardiden.
After the second victory, the defending champion is also the new owner of the dotted jersey of the leading man of the mountaineering competition. Under normal circumstances, only a fall or a defect can deprive him of the overall triumph.
Shortly after the start of the stage, the trio of Matej Mohorič (Bahrain-Victorious), Sean Bennett (Qhubeka NextHash) and Christopher Juul-Jensen (BikeExchange) broke away from the peloton. One hundred kilometers before the finish, the Frenchmen Pierre-Luc Perichon (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits) and Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-QuickStep) successfully joined it. On the first of the four mountain bonuses of the Côte de Notre-Dame de Piétat (4th category, 5.6%, 2.6 km), the Danish Juul-Jensen took the point, on the Côte de Loucrup (4th category 7%, 2 km) Alaphilippe . The reigning world champion and winner of the introductory stage also decided the sprint bonus in his favor.
Tadej Pogačar.
Source: reuters
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The peloton subsequently eliminated several attack attempts and the riders began to climb the Col du Tourmalet (HC category, 7.3%; 17.1 km). Neither Bennett nor Perichon could keep up the pace, Alaphilippe and Mohorič fought ahead, who were eventually swallowed up by a group of pursuers around David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ). Over time, it shrank more and more, Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies) was the first of the two to lead the Tourmalete.
Gaudu entered the last mountain battle of the year, the final ascent to Luz Ardiden (HC category, 7.4%, 13.3 km), with a fifteen-second lead, but disappeared in the peloton nine kilometers before the finish. On a winding road, a group of favorites consisting of Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma), Pogačar, Vingegaard, Carapaz and Enric Mas (Movistar) fought for laurels. The Slovenian overtook Vingegaard with Carapaz by two seconds.
