The final stage of the Tour de France is set to be shorter than originally planned, with the route into Paris now measuring 89km. This adjustment comes as internal security forces are being redeployed to assist with wildfire response efforts in other parts of France. The decision was made in conjunction with the prefecture police and the Tour organiser, ASO, to support areas affected by wildfires, particularly around the Arcachon lagoon near Bordeaux and Biscarrosse in the Landes region, where over 36,000 hectares of forest have been destroyed.
This marks the third instance in this year’s race where a stage has been impacted by prefecture intervention due to either wildfires or a heatwave. The shortened final stage will commence on the Champs-Élysées, featuring two laps of the avenue before proceeding to the traditional circuits of the Butte Montmartre.
Carapaz Claims Stage Victory Amidst Mountain Drama
Richard Carapaz of EF Education-EasyPost secured his second stage win in three days on Saturday, conquering the 20th stage. His victory on the race’s queen stage also solidified his lead in the King of the Mountains classification. Carapaz capitalized on two late falls by Sepp Kuss of Visma-Lease a Bike, passing the American rider with only a few kilometres remaining.
Carapaz had been a prominent figure throughout the stage, attacking early on the Col de la Croix de Fer. He continued to accumulate mountain points, claiming the Souvenir Henri Desgranges for being the first rider over the race’s highest point. Despite facing fatigue, the Ecuadorian maintained his lead to clinch the stage win and the polka dot jersey.
The stage saw considerable drama, including a spat between Carapaz and French climber Lenny Martinez, which stemmed from an incident on the previous day’s stage to Alpe d’Huez. Martinez, who had been overtaken by Tadej Pogacar near the finish on Friday, had been accused by Carapaz of “cutting in front” of him. Martinez, however, remained unfazed, stating he needed to be first through the corner.
Pogacar Nears Fifth Title
Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates-XRG is poised to claim his fifth Tour de France title, which would equal a record. After his win on Alpe d’Huez on Friday, Pogacar could afford to concede 39 seconds to his closest challenger, Remco Evenepoel, on Saturday. He will begin Sunday’s shortened stage into Paris with a lead of six minutes and 26 seconds.
Pogacar, who has been referred to as “the ogre” by L’Équipe, spent Saturday’s stage supporting his third-placed teammate, Isaac del Toro. With the yellow jersey effectively secured, Pogacar took on a domestique role to ensure Del Toro maintained his position for a podium finish and the white jersey for the best young rider.
The race has also seen debates regarding rider safety, particularly after Friday’s chaotic climb up Alpe d’Huez. Incidents involving in-race motorbikes being blocked by crowds and a lack of crowd control led to Movistar climber Einer Rubio abandoning the race after colliding with a UAE team car. Rubio was transported by helicopter to a hospital in Grenoble, where he received 20 stitches for facial injuries, an accident caused by a spectator falling in front of the car.
Race director Thierry Gouvenou commented on the incident, suggesting that older car models might have prevented the accident. Footage of fans wrestling over gifts and climbing on moving race vehicles further highlighted concerns about crowd management. Romain Grégoire, the French national champion, described spectators as “so drunk that it was more like being slapped on the arse, than getting pushes.”
Klaas Lodewyck, sports director for Evenepoel’s Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe team, noted that while cheering is acceptable, actions like punching side mirrors and banging on windows cross a line. The final stage will proceed with the modified route into Paris.
Source: theguardian.com
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Joel Kavanagh is a Sports News Writer at News-GB. He started on a Midlands sports desk. He focuses on rugby union, golf and boxing and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Journalism from De Montfort University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Leicester, he plays amateur rugby and follows the fight calendar. “In sport news, the first ten minutes decide everything.”