A dominating Tadej Pogacar claimed victory in the final mountain stage of the 2024 Tour de France to Col de la Couillole within the Alps Maritimes region, propelling him closer towards an unprecedented dual triumph at the Giro d’Italia and Tour.
Once again, 25-year-old UAE Team Emirates' leader Pogacar found himself racing to the finish line alongside defending champion Jonas Vingegaard, consistently proving his strength as the Dane struggled to match Pogacar’s efforts.
Pogacar is poised to become the eighth cyclist and first in the 21st century to secure victories in both the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France races within a single season, an extraordinary feat given the high-level competition, rigorous demands of these prestigious cycling events, and his participation in the Olympics.
The Tour concluded with its final summit finish after three earlier climbs: Braus, Turini, and La Colmiane - set against a backdrop of scorching temperatures on the Cote d'Azur coastline. Despite an initial lead by Richard Carapaz of EF Education EasyPost, it was ultimately Pogacar who emerged victorious in this intense stage battle alongside Enric Mas from Movistar team leader.
Following a summit finish at Isola 2000 where Visma-Lease a Bike's Vingegaard conceded the overall win to Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel of Soudal Quick-Step led the race from third place with an early attack. However, his subsequent attempts were thwarted by both Vingegaard and Pogacar, ultimately leaving them at the forefront as they entered the final kilometer.
Pogacar's recent performance has been unparalleled in this year’s Tour de France, with a series of stage victories since his triumph in the Pyrenees. Despite competition from Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel, Pogacar stands as the clear leader, leaving only nine riders within 30 minutes of the race's lead at this late juncture.
Pogacar has secured five stage wins, along with groundbreinas on climbs such as Galibier, Pla d’Adet, Plateau de Beille and Isola 2000 – outperforming other notable riders in the competition including Vingegaard, Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic.
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