Tour De France: Tadej Pogacar Poised To Seal Fourth Title As Groves Wins Penultimate Stage

Kaden Groves of nan Alpecin-Deceuninck squad won nan penultimate shape of nan Tour de France, from Nantua to Pontarlier, arsenic Tadej Pogacar safely negotiated what is expected to beryllium nan last meaningful shape of this year’s race.

With nan closing shape successful Paris connected Sunday perchance taxable to neutralisation, owed to nan threat of rain, nan Slovenian is now connected nan period of achieving a 4th win successful six years.

With galore teams still desperately seeking a shape win, nan title to make nan day’s breakaway was ferocious, pinch risky attacks and last-ditch moves characterising nan last kilometres of racing.

On a rolling route, done nan Ain, Jura and Doubs, nan past hr of which was covered successful a torrential downpour, a clang 21km from nan decorativeness changed nan result of nan race.

The decisive action came connected nan descent of nan last climb, nan Côte de Longeville, 24km from Pontarlier. After a lone onslaught from Harry Sweeny of EF Education EasyPost was reeled in, nan section rider, Romain Grégoire, of Groupama-FDJ took nan initiative.

Kaden Groves celebrates his shape success. Photograph: Benoît Tessier/Reuters

But connected a tight left-hand bend, made slick by nan rain, Iván Romeo, of Movistar, and Grégoire came down astatine velocity and slid into a actual kerb. The French rider was capable to remount and chase, but Romeo was near nursing his wounds.

In nan aftermath, a group of three, including Groves, moved clear, pinch nan Australian past opting to onslaught unsocial 16km from nan finish.

The 26-year-old accrued his advantage successful nan last kilometres to triumph by almost a infinitesimal and adhd his first Tour shape triumph to past successes successful nan Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España.

This study will beryllium updated.