Jonas Vingegaard is set to win the Tour de France after finishing second to his Jumbo-Visma team-mate Wout van Aert in the stage 20 time-trial to Rocamadour.
Van Aert set a time of 47 minutes 59.86 seconds over the 40.7km route from Lacapelle to Marival, 19 seconds faster than Vingegaard, who needed only to ride defensively given his sizable cushion over Tadej Pogacar, but instead attacked the stage and was quickest over the first half.
He faded, almost running wide on a descent late on, but his second place was enough to confirm him in yellow ahead of Sunday’s ride into Paris – his advantage over Pogacar three minutes and 34 seconds.
The longest time-trial to feature in a Tour since 2014 did nothing to change the top of the general classification, with 2018 champion Geraint Thomas fourth on the day behind Pogacar, confirming his podium place at the age of 36.
That means Vingegaard will be the one clinking champagne glasses on Sunday before an anticipated sprint finish on the Champs-Elysees, with two-time defending champion Pogacar making do with the best young rider’s white jersey.
It is a first overall Tour crown for 25-year-old Vingegaard, in an edition that set out from his native Denmark three weeks ago.
“It means everything, it’s really incredible,” he said as he wiped away tears. “It’s the biggest thing within cycling and we did it.
“Since last year I always believed I could do it and now it’s happened. It’s really incredible. It’s both a relief and I’m just so happy and proud.”
Asked about his aggressive approach, Vingegaard pointed to 2020, when team-mate Primoz Roglic saw his advantage in yellow disappear on a stage 20