Carapaz seals mountain crown as Pogacar’s lead comes under threat

What's happened

Richard Carapaz has clinched his second Tour de France stage win in three days at Alpe d’Huez, elevating him as the mountains king while questions grow over Tadej Pogacar’s health and UAE Team Emirates as Stage 19 looms. Stage 20 saw Sepp Kuss suffer crashes that denied a first-stage victory, and illness within teams continues to shape the race.

What's behind the headline?

Analysis

• Carapaz’s consistency in the high mountains is redefining the race’s outcome, with his altitude-adapted physiology proving decisive.
• UAE Team Emirates is facing an unseen vulnerability due to illness, which could influence Stage 19 and 20 dynamics and the final GC.
• The mounting pressure on Pogacar comes not only from Carapaz but from rival teams exploiting any weak links in UAE’s squad.
• The day’s breaks and the late-stage accelerations suggest the race could swing on a single decisive climb, likely reshaping the podium.

How we got here

Carapaz has dominated the high mountains after intense days in the break, while Pogacar’s team is contending with illness and instability in the run-up to the final mountain stages and Paris. The Tour’s late surge in the Pyrenees and Alps has elevated Carapaz as a defining mover.

Our analysis

The Guardian reports on Carapaz’s stage win and the UAE illness concerns; New York Times Business highlights Carapaz’s ascent and the mountain confrontation; Independent notes Pogacar’s leadership and team illness impacting Strategy.

Go deeper

• Will Pogacar’s illness influence the final GC standings on Stage 20?
• Can Carapaz sustain this form to rival the yellow jersey in Paris?

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