Australian Kaden Groves covered the final 16 kilometers solo on Saturday to win the penultimate stage of the Tour de France in Pontarlier.
The Stage 20 victory was the first for Groves, who completed the hilly 184.2-kilometer trek from Nantua nearly a minute ahead of Dutch cyclists Frank van den Broek and Pascal Eenkhoorn.
The race concludes Sunday in Paris, where defending champion Tadej Pogacar will chase his fourth Tour de France triumph along the capital city’s famed Champs-Elysees.
Wearing the yellow jersey as the race’s overall leader, Pogacar, of Slovenia, enters the final 132.3-kilometer Stage 21 with a lead of four minutes and 24 seconds over rival Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark.
Pogacar (2020, 2021 and 2024) and Vingegaard (2022 and 2023) have swept the past five editions of the world’s most celebrated cycling competition.
Pogacar is bidding to become the sixth man to win the Tour de France at least four times, joining Jacques Anquetil (five), Eddy Merckx (five), Bernard Hinault (five), Miguel Indurain (five) and Chris Froome (four).
–Field Level Media
