The queen stage delivers

After 19 days of waiting, the Tour de France finally served its most anticipated mountain stage on Saturday: 171 kilometres from Bourg-d'Oisans to Alpe d'Huez, piling more than 5,400 metres of climbing across four colossal ascents. Christian Prudhomme called it the hardest stage in Tour history. The route strung together the Croix-de-Fer (24 km), the Col du Télégraphe, the Galibier (2,642 m), the Col de Sarenne, and a finish at Alpe d'Huez, this time climbed via a new approach for the Grande Boucle. The general classification had been settled the day before, when Pogačar locked up his fifth Tour victory. Saturday belonged to the breakaway, the mountains classification, and the fight for the lower podium steps.

Carapaz builds an unassailable lead

Richard Carapaz attacked 3.5 kilometres from the summit of the Croix-de-Fer, the day's first climb, and never looked back. He crossed every summit first, sealing the polka-dot jersey with 20 points on the Croix-de-Fer alone. On the Galibier, at 12 km to go, Ben Healy and Carapaz sliced the breakaway further; five kilometres out, Carapaz launched another surge that only Sepp Kuss, Jai Hindley, and Riccitello could answer. The quartet crested Galibier nearly five minutes ahead of the yellow-jersey group. Carapaz had already won a stage earlier in the week and was untouchable in the mountains classification by the time the race reached the final climb.

Kuss crashes twice on Sarenne

On the Col de Sarenne, Kuss attacked alone and opened a gap of more than 20 seconds over Carapaz. He appeared to be riding beyond his limit. Then disaster struck: Kuss crashed on the descent toward Alpe d'Huez, and not once but twice. The first fall left him bruised; the second nearly sent him over a barrier into a ravine, with only the roadside protection and luck preventing a far worse outcome. Carapaz caught and passed the American, riding the final kilometres solo to claim his second legendary victory of the race. Kuss crossed the line battered, the day's most dramatic image.

“Sepp Kuss, magullado, fue la imagen del drama.”

Pogačar turns domestique for Del Toro

With his own yellow jersey certain, Tadej Pogačar spent more than 40 kilometres pulling for teammate Isaac Del Toro. The young Mexican entered the stage holding third place overall by 24 seconds over Paul Seixas. Decathlon-AG2R tried to set a rhythm on the Sarenne to launch a decisive attack from Seixas, but the 19-year-old Frenchman had no legs left. When Remco Evenepoel attacked inside the final three kilometres of Alpe d'Huez, Pogačar stayed glued to Del Toro's side rather than chasing the stage win. Del Toro held his position and will finish third in Paris. Seixas, at 19, settles for fourth.

Ayuso's day of redemption

Juan Ayuso had endured a punishing Tour, dropping to seventh overall after cracking on Alpe d'Huez the day before. He responded by going all-in from the start at Bourg-d'Oisans, forcing the selection on the Croix-de-Fer and making the day's decisive breakaway. Out of roughly 30 riders in the early move, Ayuso was one of the last to survive, staying with Carapaz, Kuss, and Hindley deep into the final climbs. He finished alongside Seixas and Skjelmose, three minutes behind the winner, a result that restored pride after a difficult three weeks.

Tadej Pogačar1

Remco Evenepoel2

Isaac Del Toro3

Paul Seixas4

Tadej Pogačar

1

Remco Evenepoel

2

Isaac Del Toro

3

Paul Seixas

4

Data from the article text

What remains

Only the procession into Paris remains on Sunday. Pogačar will claim his fifth Tour de France title. Del Toro will stand on the podium as the revelation of the race. Carapaz leaves the Alps with two stage wins and the mountains classification secured. The queen stage, conceived as an ultratrail on bikes, met every expectation, even if the general classification was already decided.