Arabic version: بوغاتشار يقترب من لقبه الخامس في طواف فرنسا بعد تقليص المرحلة الختامية
According to The Guardian, Tadej Pogacar is set to secure a record-equalling fifth Tour de France title after Richard Carapaz won stage 20 and wildfires prompted a shorter final stage in Paris.
Sunday’s stage will be 89km long, beginning on the Champs-Élysées. Two laps of the avenue will precede the traditional circuits of the Butte de Montmartre. Tour organiser ASO said security forces assigned to the finale would be redeployed to support wildfire response operations.
Wildfires near the Arcachon lagoon close to Bordeaux and around Biscarrosse in the Landes have destroyed more than 36,000 hectares of forest. It is the third stage in this year’s Tour to be affected by prefecture intervention linked to wildfires or heat.
Pogacar will start the final stage with a lead of six minutes and 26 seconds over Remco Evenepoel after conceding 39 seconds to his closest challenger on Saturday. The UAE rider had extended his advantage with a record time on Alpe d’Huez on Friday.
Carapaz took his second stage victory in three days after passing Sepp Kuss, who crashed while descending towards the Alpe d’Huez finish. The Ecuadorian also secured the polka dot jersey, while Pogacar worked to protect the position of his third-placed UAE teammate, Isaac Del Toro.
