Pogacar closes in on record-equaling fifth Tour de France title as Carapaz wins penultimate stage

Tadej Pogacar is positioned to secure a record-equaling fifth Tour de France title as the competition enters its final stage. This development follows the conclusion of the penultimate stage of the race, where Richard Carapaz emerged victorious. Carapaz, representing the EF Education-EasyPost team, won stage 20 during a dramatic climb of Alpe d’Huez. The events of this stage were centered around the climb and concluded with the race moving toward its final resolution. The victory for Carapaz and his team is described as a significant achievement on one of the tour's most challenging segments.

Coverage from NBC Sports, WTOP, and kare11.com emphasizes Pogacar's proximity to a historic fifth title, highlighting that he is poised for the win as the race reaches its closing phase. Meanwhile, The Guardian focuses on the dramatic nature of stage 20, specifically noting Carapaz's win on Alpe d’Huez. Cyclingnews provides a detailed perspective on the victory, describing the experience for Richard Carapaz and the EF Education-EasyPost squad as a "jackpot" win that remained nerve-wracking until the very end. EF Pro Cycling also provided updates regarding Le Bourg-d'Oisans during the proceedings. To understand the stakes of the current standings, it is necessary to note that a fifth title would equal the existing record for the most Tour de France victories.

The Alpe d'Huez climb is traditionally one of the most grueling parts of the race, which adds weight to Carapaz's stage 20 success. The victory by EF Education-EasyPost on this specific terrain is framed by the outlets as a high-stakes achievement given the difficulty of the climb and the timing of the win occurring on the penultimate stage of the entire tour. Attention now shifts to the final stage of the race to determine if Pogacar officially secures the record-equaling fifth title. Following the dramatic events on Alpe d’Huez and the victory by Richard Carapaz, the focus remains on the final movements of the peloton as they complete the 2026 Tour de France. Coverage does not yet specify the exact time gaps or the remaining distance for the final stage, but the primary narrative remains the pursuit of a historical milestone by Pogacar and the aftermath of the stage 20 climb.