For once, now that the Tour is ending (this Sunday’s conclusion in Paris), we won’t start immediately with Tadej Pogacar, less devilish than usual and more concerned with acting as an older brother to his young teammate Isaac del Toro, who was risking losing third place on the podium.
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No, in this twentieth stage of the Grande Boucle, with the second arrival at Alpe d’Huez after 170 kilometers up and down the Sacred Mountains of the Tour (Telégraphe, la Croix de Fer, le Galibier and Col de la Sarenne), the cover photo goes to the Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz, for his second success in three days after a long breakaway that ended ahead of the Belgian Evenepoel (+26”) and the American Kuss (+31”).
Carapaz, with the polka dot jersey as mountain leader (now definitively his), was actually favored by the double fall of Sepp Kuss, who was leading the race until the last descent before the finish line. The Ecuadorian, always on the attack these days, nevertheless amply deserved the victory.
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“I still can’t believe it,” Carapaz said with a radiant smile. “I feel sorry for Kuss, he was excellent and unlucky. But I tried until the very end. And I believe I deserved the best climber’s jersey,” concluded the Ecuadorian, 33 years old, a very popular champion in his country, winner of the Giro d’Italia in 2019 and a gold medal in the road race at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Kuss’s double fall (saved by a safety net, he risked falling into the void) also allowed Remco Evenepoel to finish second behind Carapaz. The Belgian, now also second in the general classification with a delay of almost six and a half minutes from Pogacar, attacked on the last climb, dropping the group of big names and anticipating the American in the finale. “I am really satisfied,” commented Evenepoel. “I am because I have finally shown my critics that I can also win in mountains and in long races like the Tour.” The Belgian took a dig at those who see him primarily as a time trial specialist. Indeed, Evenepoel is a phenomenon in time trials, even superior to Pogacar. He has improved a lot in climbing at this Tour. And perhaps, if he hadn’t waited too long before attacking, he could have also won the stage.
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