Such is Tadej Pogacar’s domination on the Tour de France that what began as a frantic chase for stage wins has morphed into a racing masterclass — a reigning champion pulling the strings on his way to a fourth title.
Since the Slovenian declared he would not grant any freebies after he won four of the opening 13 stages, he has not crossed the line first and Friday's final mountain trek showed that he might have changed his mind along the way.
The UAE Emirates-XRG rider was just content with setting the pace in the final climb of Friday's 19th stage, a short yet brutal Alpine trek to La Plagne, letting Thymen Arensman celebrate a second victory this year after the Dutchman battled solo on the steep slopes through episodes of heavy rain in sub-10 degrees Celsius temperatures.
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