Pogacar set to win Tour de France, Carapaz claims Queen stage

Tadej Pogacar all but sealed a record-equalling fifth Tour de France title on Saturday as Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz won the 20th stage on Alpe d’Huez.

With Sunday’s 21st and final stage of the 113th edition of the Tour likely to be the usual procession around Paris, Pogacar will need only to cross the finish line to secure a fifth Tour title in seven years.

“Let’s arrive in Paris and then we can celebrate this yellow jersey,” said Pogacar.

The 27-year-old Slovenian will join cycling greats Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain as the only riders to have won the sport’s greatest race five times.

But Pogacar will be the youngest to have done so.

He crossed the finishing line on Saturday fourth, arm-in-arm with team-mate Isaac Del Toro, who had done enough to ensure third place overall and victory in the best young rider’s white jersey category ahead of French teenage ace Paul Seixas.

Pogacar spent the last 60km riding at the front of the group of overall favourites to help Del Toro protect his position.