Pogacar Closes on Record-Equalling Fifth Tour as Carapaz Wins Alpe d'Huez

Tadej Pogacar stands one ceremonial ride away from a fifth Tour de France title, which would equal the all-time record shared by Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain. Stage 20 belonged to someone else entirely. Ecuador's Richard Carapaz won the queen stage into Alpe d'Huez, the 21-switchback climb that has decided Grand Tours since its first inclusion in 1952.

Carapaz Finds His Old Form on Alpe d'Huez

Carapaz, the 2019 Giro d'Italia champion and 2021 Olympic road race gold medallist, has spent recent seasons interrupted by injuries and contract changes. His stage win on the most iconic summit finish in cycling is the clearest sign yet that the 31-year-old still has Grand Tour legs. He punched the air as he crossed the line on the steep final ramp, threading through tens of thousands of fans packed into the narrow switchbacks, many camped out since the morning.

Pogacar Controls Without Risking Yellow

For Pogacar, the mountain stage was about management, not heroics. His UAE Team Emirates teammates set a tempo on the approach that discouraged all but the most ambitious attacks. The yellow jersey group thinned gradually, but Pogacar marked rivals and let the road do the damage. His overall lead was never seriously threatened.

A fifth Tour title at 26 would make him younger at that threshold than any of the four men he is about to join. Anquetil won his fifth at 31, Merckx at 29, Hinault at 31, Indurain at 30.

Paris Awaits a Record-Tying Champion

The final stage into Paris is traditionally a procession for the general classification leader. Pogacar will ride to the Champs-Élysées with the yellow jersey secure and the record one day from completion. For Carapaz, Alpe d'Huez is not a stage you win on reputation alone, and his performance on stage 20 underlines the talent that remains in his legs.