Belote and Rebelote on Stage 20
Stage 20 of the Tour de France 2024 saw the usual suspects – Pogacar and Vingegaard – rise to the top of the Col de la Couillole in first and second place, with Pogacar sprinting to the win.
Video Highlights
These are video highlights of Stage 20.
The Breakaway
Enric Mas was first over the top of the first climb on the stage, the Col de Braus, followed by Bruno Armirail. Kelderman was the third man in the leading group.
On the second climb, Carapaz took maximum mountains points. The lead group had swelled, counting in its number:
- Carapaz
- Mas
- Kelderman
- Armirail
- Bardet
- Johanessen
- Soler
- Geniets
- Tratnik
Soudal Quick-Step were chasing on the front of the bunch, with a view to putting pressure on Vingegaard.
Carapaz was first over the Col de la Colmiane, which meant he sewed up the King of the Mountains competition.
At the foot of the final climb, the Col de la Couillole, the break had an advantage of 2min56. Jan Tratnik set the pace on the early slopes.
Behind, Ilan van Wilder led the bunch, then Jan Hirt took over, before Mikel Landa lifted the pace.
The two riders who emerged as the strongest of the breakaway were Carapaz and Mas. They were caught with 2.6km left.
The GC Battle
Evenepoel attacked with about 8km to go, but failed to shake off Vingegaard and Pogacar. Then Almeida took over the pace-setting.
Remco attacked again with 4.6km to go, but Vingegaard counter-attacked and he and Pogacar left the Belgian behind.
Pogacar and Vingegaard joined the leading pair of Carapaz and Mas with 2.6km left. Mas was soon dropped, and Carapaz slipped back in the last kilometre.
Vingegaard had achieved his objective to putting time (30s) into Remco, but Pogacar had a sprint left in him.