UAE Team Bugacher cyclist close to retaining Tour de France title
The UAE Team Emirates rider, Taday Pogácár of Slovenia, moved one step closer to retaining the Tour de France title, with his third victory in the 108th edition, after finishing the 18th mountain stage between Pau and Luz Arridon, which extended over a distance of 129.7 km.
By crossing the finish line in the lead for the sixth stage in two participations so far in this famous tour, the 22-year-old came close to retaining the title after consolidating his lead three days before reaching its end on Sunday on the Champs-Elysees.
Eleven riders finished the final stage of the 108th Tour, less than a minute ahead of Pogachar. "I had a great feeling and I'm really happy with this win. It's like a game for me, and I enjoy playing it," he said.
And the Slovenian seemed wary of Saturday's stage, which will be against the clock between Libourne and Saint-Emilon for a distance of 30.8 km, saying, "You can simply lose six minutes in thirty kilometers."
Colombian Rigoberto Uran, who started the stage in fourth place in the general standings, was the biggest loser on Thursday, trailing Bogachar by 8 minutes and 58 seconds. The difference between him and the Slovenian is 16 minutes 25 seconds. Dutchman Velko Kieldermann took advantage of Oran's stumble to climb to fifth place in the general classification, after he finished Thursday's stage ninth, 34 seconds behind Bogachar.
The ranking of the top five in the eighteenth stage:
1 - Slovenian Taday Pogačar 3:33.45 hours
2 - Denmark's Jonas Vinggaard, two seconds behind
3 - Ecuadorean Richard Karabas, two seconds ahead
4 - Spain's Enrique Mas by 13 seconds
5 - Ireland's Daniel Martin 24 seconds behind
- the five ranking The first in the general standings:
1 - Slovenian Taday Bogachar 75:00.02 hours
2 - Denmark's Jonas Weingegaard 5:45 minutes
3 - Ecuadorean Richard Karabas by 5:51 minutes
4 - Australia's Ben O'Connor by 8:18 minutes
5 - Dutchman Velko Kieldermann by 8.50 d
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