07/24/26 11:04:00
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07/24 11:02 CDT Pogacar launches brilliant attack on Alpe d'Huez to win stage
19 of the Tour and extend lead
Pogacar launches brilliant attack on Alpe d'Huez to win stage 19 of the Tour
and extend lead
ALPE D'HUEZ, France (AP) --- Tadej Pogacar launched a stunning solo attack from
the foot of the iconic Alpe d'Huez to win the 19th stage of the Tour de France
and extend his overall lead on Friday.
Even by the four-time Tour champion's lofty standards, it was up there with his
best wins as he was more than three minutes behind with 12 kilometers (about
7.5 miles) remaining.
Riding without a teammate for the last section, he caught Ecuadorian rider
Richard Carapaz and Frenchman Lenny Martinez with 1.5 kilometers left and then
surged ahead for his fifth stage win of this year's race and 26th overall.
Martinez finished six seconds behind and Carapaz --- who won Thursday's 18th
stage with a brilliant breakaway win of his own --- was nine seconds back.
American Sepp Kuss, who faded in the closing stages, was 1 minute, 14 seconds
adrift.
With a lead of 7 minutes, 11 seconds over Remco Evenepoel in the overall
standings, and two stages remaining, Pogacar is close to joining Eddy Merckx,
Miguel Indurain, Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault as the only men to win
five Tours.
Barring mishap or accident, the Slovenian star will be crowned when the race
ends on Sunday on the Champs-lyses in Paris.
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
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