1 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:19,959 Alpe d'Huez, a climb that has seen so much drama over the years. 2 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:22,959 For the next two days it will be cycling's epicentre. 3 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:25,960 The fans are ready and from a British perspective, 4 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,640 the last two stages to finish atop this mighty Alpe 5 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:30,960 have been won by two Brits. 6 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:34,959 Geraint Thomas moves to the right in the yellow jersey. 7 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:36,960 So much road to be ridden. 8 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:40,800 Alpe d'Huez is about to see a brand new winner. 9 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:42,959 But who is it going to be? 10 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,959 500m to go. Mikel Landa launches an attack. 11 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:49,000 Who's being followed by Geraint Thomas. It's Geraint Thomas 12 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:52,959 on the left hand side going for it. Gareth Thomas in the yellow jersey. 13 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:58,000 The Welsh are cheering Geraint Thomas to win on Alpe d'Huez. 14 00:00:58,960 --> 00:00:59,959 I don't know what to say. 15 00:00:59,960 --> 00:01:04,959 Tom Pidcock really pushing things. Here's a demon to send. 16 00:01:04,960 --> 00:01:09,959 It's only 10.5km to go for them, so a little bit of cat and mouse 17 00:01:09,960 --> 00:01:12,960 and Tom Pidcock is the man who accelerates. 18 00:01:13,320 --> 00:01:17,800 They cheer, they scream, they will on the young man from Yorkshire. 19 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:21,959 And Tom Pidcock is absolutely flying. 20 00:01:21,960 --> 00:01:25,640 Tremendous technique, wonderfully ridden on the defence. 21 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:29,959 Away down the Galibier, Thomas Pidcock sees the finish line. 22 00:01:29,960 --> 00:01:30,959 A shake of the head. 23 00:01:30,960 --> 00:01:33,959 But he better believe it, because the tour de France blasts off 24 00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:38,160 to planet Pidcock on Alpe d'Huez Stage win. 25 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:39,960 My first tour. 26 00:01:41,960 --> 00:01:42,960 Yeah, it's not bad. 27 00:01:44,960 --> 00:01:48,959 Well, first of all, Alpe d'Huez must bring back some fun memories. 28 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:50,959 Yeah, very, very fond memories, I think. 29 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:55,959 Uh, yeah, it was, uh, obviously very special day for me, 30 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:58,800 my career. But I think maybe after today, 31 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:00,959 there will be some slightly different memories in my in my head. 32 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:02,959 Because it's going to be a completely different race. 33 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:05,959 Yeah, it will be a different race for sure. 34 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:09,959 I think today I think there might be some other some back wheels in front 35 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:12,959 of me that I'm looking at instead. We'll see how the race goes, 36 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,959 but I'm pretty sure, you know, today could be a GC battle up there 37 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:19,959 and it's going to be, uh, very fast and yeah, 38 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:22,960 see, see, see what I can do there. 39 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:25,959 21 that's the number of hairpins that will greet the riders 40 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:29,160 when they reach one of the most iconic climbs in cycling. 41 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:32,960 That's not all that's on the menu today. The route starts in gap 42 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:36,640 and the riders must first contend with three categorised climbs over 43 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:40,959 114km before they reach the foot of the final ascent. 44 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:42,959 Going into an epic two days, this is 45 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:45,959 how the General classification stacks up. 46 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:48,800 Tadej Pogacar wears the Myzone. He leads the race 47 00:02:48,640 --> 00:02:52,160 by four minutes and 32 seconds ahead of Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe rider 48 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:56,959 Remco Evenepoel Pogacar Team-mate Isaac Del Toro sits in third, 49 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,959 but he's just 20s ahead of fourth place, 50 00:02:59,960 --> 00:03:01,959 which is occupied by his rival for 51 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:04,959 the white Young Riders Jersey and the French great hope. 52 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:07,000 Paul Seixas. Yeah. 53 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:09,959 Uh, I think, uh, my brother is up there 54 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:12,959 and he said the crowds are insane. 55 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:16,959 But also the crowds on March 9th was insane. 56 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:20,959 So, I mean, yeah, just I think every year is even more spectators. 57 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:24,960 So yeah, it's nice to see. I'm feeling pretty excited. 58 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:26,959 And, uh, yeah, this is the next two days 59 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:29,160 are actually the days why we've been working so hard. 60 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:33,640 So, uh, yeah, we'll see how it goes. But, uh, pretty exciting day today. 61 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:35,959 There's not one day more important than the other. 62 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:38,000 Uh, no, both are super important 63 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:41,959 and both will be decisive for the, for the GC result. 64 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:44,959 Uh, so yeah, two big days, uh, 65 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:46,959 and both days, uh, very important. 66 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:49,959 So nothing to lose. Uh, I mean, no, actually a lot to lose. 67 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:53,960 So we have to, uh, to be focussed on the, on that second place. 68 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:55,960 And, uh, yeah, it would be amazing for myself and 69 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,000 for the team to, to finish it off like this. 70 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:01,959 The climbing started from the flag drop on stage 19. 71 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:03,959 Not long after a group of four got away. 72 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:06,640 They were soon joined by a larger group of riders, 73 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:09,160 including stage 18 winner Richard Carapaz. 74 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:13,959 Frenchman Valentin Paret Peintre and Green jersey wearer Mads Pedersen. 75 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:17,000 The F and Soudal rider battled over the first KOM, 76 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:19,959 and it was the latter who came out victorious, 77 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:22,959 taking the maximum points and with it the virtual lead 78 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:25,160 in the King of the mountains classification. 79 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,959 One rider who had managed to get into the front group was Adam Yates. 80 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:31,160 After days of struggling with illness, 81 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:34,959 it seemed he'd shaken it off in time for two of the most crucial stages 82 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:40,959 of the race behind UAE Team Emirates XR Gee were controlling the pace, 83 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:43,959 allowing the gap to stretch to more than two minutes. 84 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:48,800 On the category one, Col du Noyer F set a blistering pace, 85 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:50,959 but it wasn't enough to dispatch Paret Peintre, 86 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:54,959 with the Soudal rider taking the maximum points there too. 87 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:57,959 On the Long Valley Road, the gap to the large lead group 88 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:01,959 of more than 40 riders remained steady at around 3.5 minutes. 89 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:04,959 UAE Team Emirates XRG and Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe 90 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:07,959 were doing most of the work in the peloton, 91 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:11,800 but back out front, Pedersen took the maximum points uncontested 92 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:15,959 at the intermediate sprint that put his total on 502, 93 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:19,959 giving him a lead of 57 over Jasper Philipsen. 94 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:23,640 He's now taken a remarkable 333 points 95 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:28,959 at the intermediate sprints alone, 78% of the total points available. 96 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:32,959 Okay, ladies and gentlemen, we are approaching Alpe d'Huez, 97 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:35,800 the most famous climb in all the tour de France, 98 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:37,959 and we have had an amazing build up to this. 99 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:40,959 We've got the yellow jersey in the peloton behind. 100 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:43,959 There's been a group of over 40 riders gone up the road 101 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:47,959 at the start of the stage. That has now reduced significantly. 102 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:52,800 We've got Bora Red bull chasing behind with UAE, 103 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:54,959 and we've got Lidl Trek after Mads Pedersen took 104 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:57,959 the green jersey points, he's dropped back to the peloton now, 105 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,000 helping his team-mate, Juan Ayuso, 106 00:05:59,960 --> 00:06:03,959 to jump up that leaderboard on the general classification. 107 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:05,959 This is going to be one heck of a day. 108 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:06,959 I'm excited. 109 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,959 Get me on to that climb. Get me into that atmosphere. 110 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:11,959 I'm going to be following the big guys and getting as close as I can 111 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:15,959 to the action, but this is one you do not want to miss. 112 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:19,959 Incredible, incredible climb with an incredible race behind me 113 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:22,959 about to explode on the Alpe d'Huez. 114 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:25,959 Well, wherever you're watching, whatever you're doing, 115 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:29,959 make sure there are no distractions for the next 40 minutes. 116 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:33,959 Climbing record depends on where you take it from, 117 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:36,960 but it all goes back to Marco Pantani. 118 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:41,959 3735 for the 14.5 Kuss where we've just seen the road rise. 119 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:43,959 When we get to the modern start of the climb. 120 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:47,959 13.8 from the finish, you're looking at 36 minutes, 121 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:51,959 55 seconds that has stood since the 90s. 122 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:54,959 Will it go today, a couple of hundred metres 123 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:57,800 up the road there is Bruno Armirail. 124 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:02,959 He leads 15 contenders onto the slopes of the most famous 125 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:06,959 of tall mountains. It was the first ever summit finish. 126 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:10,960 The most famous hairpin bends await the riders of the tour. 127 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:15,959 All 21 of them fans are spread all out over the mountain. 128 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:19,959 A wall of sound will greet their every pedal stroke now. 129 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:23,160 The usual mountain arrival atmosphere is turned up to ten 130 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:27,959 and beyond. This, for some, will be the experience of a lifetime. 131 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:32,640 A good number are about to suffer more than in several lifetimes, 132 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:34,959 but the glory of victory will live on 133 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:37,160 for a place on the roll of honour. 134 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:39,959 It's Alpe d'Huez time at the tour de France 135 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:41,959 and already the first victim has been claimed. 136 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:45,960 It's Tiesj Benoot going backwards. Mattia Cattaneo as well. 137 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:48,959 But these guys might have a job to do further up. 138 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:51,959 Yes, this could be a tactic that they're going to use these riders. 139 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:53,959 And you know, there's no point in hanging in here 140 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:57,959 for a number of kilometres because you wish riders that are, you know, 141 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:00,320 much more talented than this sort of finish. 142 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:03,960 So, you know, knock it off early, get a little bit of respite 143 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:06,959 and wait for your leader to come and then do what you can. 144 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:09,160 And yeah, just pull that group along. 145 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:12,959 But we can see here, Admiral, what a ride he's doing here today. 146 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:15,959 And you can see Sepp Kuss there. The pressure is on him now 147 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:19,960 because they have really invested from Visma Lease a Bike 148 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:21,959 in this stage and a number of others as well. 149 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:25,800 As we can see, they're all just, uh. Yeah, getting ready. 150 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:28,000 And this is the most difficult part when you come to this part, 151 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:32,320 it just goes straight up and really steep gradient 11%. 152 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:34,959 You want to get into the rhythm as well. So it's difficult. 153 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:37,959 And we can see there's a little bit of knocking off in the pace here. 154 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:38,959 And that's what you need. 155 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:40,959 Some riders, they just want to get back into the rhythm 156 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:43,959 of the steep gradient again. It's horribly steep. 157 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:47,959 The first three ramps, separated by those hairpins of Alpe d'Huez 158 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:50,959 are absolutely the steepest and toughest parts. 159 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:53,640 And it's, a. Even if you've been doing other climbs during the day, 160 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:56,640 it is a change of rhythm to come on to gradients. 161 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:58,959 This steep hits you right in the face, 162 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:03,959 right from the bottom as Afonso was just struggling at the back there. 163 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:06,960 Frenchman just off the back. Here he is. 164 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:08,959 Remember French winners on this mountain, 165 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:12,960 Pierre Rolland, Christophe Riblon and Thibaut Pinot. 166 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:13,959 But he won't be here. 167 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:16,959 I don't think to add his name to the list. 168 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:18,959 Tejada also just struggling at the back, losing a couple 169 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:20,959 of lengths there as well. 170 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:22,959 What a brilliant ride from Bruno Bruno Armirail, 171 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:25,959 who crashed stage three, was almost out of the race, 172 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:30,959 struggled on, hung in there, fought for his tour life and 173 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:32,959 now he's back at the front of the race and trying to set up 174 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:36,160 his team mate Sepp Kuss, who is a man who flies under the radar. 175 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:39,959 He's quiet, he's unassuming, but he gets the job done so often 176 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:43,160 in the big moments, especially when the team really needs him. 177 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:43,959 That is. 178 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:44,959 Armirail. 179 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:46,959 We are at bend 21. 180 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:49,959 Count them down from here on in. 181 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:52,959 Super job from him. And it is. 182 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:56,959 Well, I think now just under two kilometres of a lead 183 00:09:56,960 --> 00:10:00,959 for this group on the group about to start the climb. 184 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:04,959 This gap can be a winning gap, but you've got to go bottom to top 185 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:07,640 and Arensman is Wright amongst ITT Lenny Martinez on him. 186 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:10,959 Sepp Kuss took his time but rode across O Tom Pidcock. 187 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:13,959 He's lost a few lengths and starting to drop away from 188 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:15,959 the favourites group Tom Pidcock, who began the day 189 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:17,959 in eighth position in the general classification. 190 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:21,640 Going to have to make his way up. Going to have to watch those gaps. 191 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:22,959 Not over, of course, with the top ten. 192 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:25,640 There are some big gaps many minutes down there, 193 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:27,959 but with Martinez getting up the road, 194 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:30,000 those gaps are being concertinaed together. 195 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:32,959 Now then, this is the first big news 196 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:35,959 because Juan Ayuso, who started the day in fifth position, 197 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:40,959 is already losing contact on the way up to those first Hairpin bend. 198 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:44,959 Skjelmose hangs on Ayuso looking after himself here 199 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:48,640 as Pogacar is showering himself ready for action. 200 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:51,959 Just noticed something quickly about Tadej Pogacar last shot. 201 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:53,959 He sprayed. We grabbed a bid on. 202 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:56,959 Dropped the Ice sock, sprayed it onto his face and everywhere, 203 00:10:56,960 --> 00:10:59,959 and he threw the bid on in on the ground in. 204 00:10:59,960 --> 00:11:02,640 Looked like disgust to me. I wonder if he's just got a mix up 205 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:04,640 between what was water, what was maybe electrolyte? 206 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:06,959 And he's showered himself in a sticky drink. 207 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:09,959 Here he goes though Tadej Pogacar attacks 208 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:12,480 as he gets to the first hairpin. 209 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:14,959 He's trying to not leave anything to chance here. 210 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:17,959 All the talk. Was he well, was he not? 211 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:22,959 The first indications are that he's more than fighting fit. 212 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:23,959 He certainly is. 213 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:26,960 Uh, you know, when we see there that he had a team-mate with him. 214 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:28,959 But I think the team-mate was pretty much finished. 215 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:31,959 And immediately he does hang around and wait for the rest. 216 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:33,959 See, with some of the other ones start riding. 217 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:35,959 See, Remco starts, you know, setting this pace. 218 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:38,959 But no, he just goes here we can see 219 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:41,959 everybody is just fighting to keep him in their sights here. 220 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:43,960 And it's going to be a one. 221 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:46,959 Now when he gets away like this he just slowly goes away 222 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:49,640 and yeah, all the other rest of the favours. 223 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:51,959 Just, uh, following each other here 224 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:54,959 in this Decathlon Hoole continuing on to set this pace. 225 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:56,959 All those questions, all the speculation. 226 00:11:56,960 --> 00:11:59,160 If there are any questions about Tadej Pogacar. 227 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:02,000 Is he okay? Is he ill? Does he want it? 228 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:05,959 Here's your answer. On his way up to Beefeater. 229 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:11,320 Ben, there's a look from Tiberi who laughs, smiles, sees him going. 230 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:14,160 He's on his way to cycling's version of the Barmy Army, 231 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:17,960 and he's going barmy on this mountain as well. 232 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:20,959 The fight for the next places is going on 233 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:23,959 behind the stage here sees Kuss now attack, 234 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:26,959 and Arensman attack was perhaps too early. 235 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:29,959 It's Kuss. Following him is Carapaz. 236 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:32,959 And then you can see Martinez and the gap is still 250. 237 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:35,959 It's a Pogacar time triallist to the top. 238 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:38,959 It's a pursuit, Robbie. With this group and this move by Sepp Kuss. 239 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:42,959 This has been forced upon them by the move of Tadej Pogacar. 240 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:44,959 There might have been a little bit of posturing Kuss following wheels 241 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:47,000 and settling in the rhythm. Waiting for the moment. 242 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:48,959 You cannot wait any more. 243 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:52,959 When you hear that Tadej Pogacar is on the move, you must go. 244 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:56,959 Adam Yates. Now for Pogacar just to do a big turn of pace. 245 00:12:56,960 --> 00:13:00,959 Connection for Yates. And what can he offer his mate? 246 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:03,959 Twisting. Turning up this natural stadium. 247 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:09,160 It's cycling's most famous set piece showdown at its very best actor. 248 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:12,960 Who wants to win? Right here, right now. 249 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:28,959 Tadej Pogacar, by the way, 250 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:30,959 half a minute ahead of the White jersey group. 251 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:33,959 That, of course, is his team mate, del Toro, who is 252 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:35,959 with Evenepoel and Seixas. 253 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:40,640 Also there a couple of others hanging on Skjelmose amongst them. 254 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:47,959 And Yates job is done. There goes Pogacar. 255 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:50,959 Yates can offer no more. In a couple of days ago. 256 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:53,160 Here to offer everything he could 257 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:57,960 and Pogacar continues his quest off in search of the catch. 258 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:05,959 Pogacar is left Adam Yates behind. He's done his job. 259 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:08,959 That ticker is coming down again, down to 218. 260 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:12,960 So in the space of about 350m, he's taken almost 15 seconds. 261 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:16,959 Now off the group. He's starting to look at each other. 262 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:19,959 Lenny Martinez looks across. Carapaz still pushing on. 263 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:24,959 It's getting a little bit cagey here and they are losing time quickly. 264 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:26,959 Yes, well, it's been cagey for a long time, Robbie. 265 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:29,959 They're just looking at each other making a little bit 266 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:33,480 of an attack here and then stopping another one tries to go here. 267 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:35,959 In the meantime you are losing this time here. 268 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:38,959 And we can see there at nine kilometres from the finish. 269 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:42,320 Like this is a long, long way with an advantage of, you know, 214 270 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:44,959 at the moment when you look at Pogacar, 271 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:47,800 you'd say, well, a climb up, you know, eight or 9km, 272 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:50,959 he could take, you know, 3.5 minutes of these guys and we can see the way 273 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:54,959 he's just in the rhythm here just flying up this mountain. 274 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:57,959 I told you not to have any distractions for 45 minutes or so. 275 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:00,959 The first point you might not need 45 minutes. 276 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:05,959 Second point, we could be watching one of the ascents in the history 277 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:10,800 of this sport right here, right now. We have to stop. Watch on it. 278 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:14,959 The watch we can see on the screen says 20s in the click of a finger. 279 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:17,959 Since he made his next move and a move goes from the front, 280 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:19,959 Carapaz will be being reminded what's happening behind. 281 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:22,959 He goes. He digs. Kuss is the one who's dropped. 282 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:27,160 And look at Lenny Martinez the ride of his life. 283 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:28,959 He's doing a fantastic ride, 284 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:31,959 but it's very, very dangerous to follow these accelerations. 285 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:33,959 By Richard Carapaz Sepp Kuss. 286 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:35,959 Yes, he was distanced very quickly and quite 287 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:40,000 a substantial gap doesn't mean by any means that he is gone. 288 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:42,480 Settle in the rhythm, pedal his way back and 289 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:46,959 I would think Carapaz doesn't really need to get rid of the rest 290 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:48,959 with these really venomous attacks. 291 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:50,959 He's got a good sprint. I would back him at the top 292 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:52,959 of the mountain if there was three of them together. 293 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:56,959 He looks over to check on Kuss, but the gap is the same 294 00:15:56,960 --> 00:15:59,959 as when he took off now. Carapaz needs some recovery. 295 00:15:59,960 --> 00:16:02,960 Castro Kuss Verona tempo his way back on. 296 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:06,960 A moment to breathe. 297 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:10,959 A flick of the elbow from Carapaz and 298 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:13,960 a look over the shoulder from Lenny Martinez. 299 00:16:15,160 --> 00:16:17,959 This angle showing us how much out of each hairpin. 300 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:24,320 The road really rises up 8% here and come Sep. 301 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:31,320 Pogacar down to 151. 302 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:34,959 He's almost halved the gap already in a quarter of the climb. 303 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:37,959 And now Paul Seixas, after having had Benoot work 304 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:40,959 for him, comes to the front and presses on. 305 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:42,959 He's trying to test El Del Toro here. 306 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:44,959 Yes, well, he has to test the other ones, but 307 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:46,959 he also wants to keep on this pace, 308 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:51,959 and I think he just likes to put on a real strong pace 309 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:55,160 and you know, keep going and going. That's what he can do here and yeah. 310 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:57,959 Is he getting any help from the other ones. 311 00:16:57,960 --> 00:16:59,959 If we pan back a little bit more we could see that. 312 00:16:59,960 --> 00:17:03,959 But here they are just continuing on this game of, you know, 313 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:06,959 mocking each other, looking at each other. 314 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:09,959 We did see that when Carapaz went with Martinez, they started 315 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:12,959 to ride together a bit. And that's what they've got to need to do. 316 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:15,959 Carapaz you know, he needs to just get 317 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:17,959 the others to just take a little bit of a turn 318 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:19,959 on the front, even if it's not as much as you were doing, 319 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:22,959 but get further up this line because this gap is coming down so quickly. 320 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:26,480 And yeah, any chance of maybe going all the way 321 00:17:26,320 --> 00:17:28,959 if this man cannot keep this pace going? 322 00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:31,959 You never know. You have to just try 323 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:33,959 every tactic when you're out in front in this situation. 324 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:37,959 And look at the view, these guys have the potential. 325 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:42,160 History Simmons looks on all decked in yellow. 326 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:45,959 The goat goes past Romo was there as well. 327 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:49,959 The Slovenian flags are out, but it is like the United Nations up here. 328 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:53,959 Another hairpin ticked off for Tadej Pogacar 140. 329 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:57,959 Now from the front and over a minute in front of Del Toro, 330 00:17:57,960 --> 00:17:59,959 his Team-mate Evenepoel, who has Cattaneo, 331 00:17:59,960 --> 00:18:02,959 Seixas and Skjelmose, who's turning out to be 332 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:05,960 the best Lidl Trek rider in the General classification. 333 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:11,160 And keep your eye on the crowd here. Let's hope. 334 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:14,959 Let's cross fingers. You can see how close they get. 335 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:17,480 You can see how wonderfully flavorous it is. 336 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:20,959 But that brings dangers. Giuseppe Guerini, 1999. 337 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:23,959 And the photographer crashed in the last kilometre 338 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:25,960 but still won the stage. 339 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:29,640 And as recently as 2018, Vincenzo Nibali getting 340 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:33,959 that photographer's camera strap in his bars crashing. 341 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:36,959 Finishing the stage but did not stop the day after 342 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:38,960 with a broken vertebra. 343 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:47,959 They've come from all nations to Alpe d'Huez. What a scene! 344 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:50,959 Arensman now drifting back and Pogacar. 345 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:53,800 He is just picking them off one by one. 346 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:57,960 Here comes Pac-Man! Pogacar Carapaz once more. 347 00:18:59,960 --> 00:19:02,959 An aggressive nature Kuss. Once again, 348 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:05,959 as Robbie was describing before, Shawn just does what he can do. 349 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:06,959 He'll stick to those numbers. 350 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:09,640 He'll try and come back if they start falling out again. 351 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:12,959 Yes, well, of course he doesn't have this explosive attack on a time 352 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:15,959 like this. And you know, you have to just walk to your strengths. 353 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:17,959 And that's what Sepp Kuss is doing here. 354 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:20,959 And Carapaz is continuing on to do this. 355 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:23,959 We did see Lenny Martinez was starting to walk with him. 356 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:25,959 As you can see again, he's just come to the front here. 357 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:29,640 He has to just keep on riding together, 358 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:31,959 try and get as far up the mountain and then see 359 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:34,000 what he can do in the end, try and drop the rider. 360 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:37,959 I would Carapaz like he is very fast in the finish. 361 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:41,959 I think against Lenny Martinez, I would pick him as the fastest rider 362 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:44,959 when you look at the situation. 114 Back to Pogacar. 363 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:48,959 The way they're just, you know, playing about as such. Yeah, 364 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:51,959 they're throwing you any chance of going all the way to the finish. 365 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:52,960 Out the door. 366 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:56,959 I agree with Sean there. The acceleration by Richard Carapaz. 367 00:19:56,960 --> 00:19:58,160 Eventually they're going to hurt him. 368 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:02,959 And Kuss now makes his own Kuss is having to go just as the French fans 369 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:05,959 have started to get excited seeing Martinez still up there. 370 00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:10,960 Remember it is stage 19 and we are yet to get a French victory. 371 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:11,959 Perfect tactic by Sepp Kuss. 372 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:14,959 Just let the first couple of attacks happen. 373 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:18,160 Steady state step by step. He rides his way back into the wheel 374 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:20,959 and when he feels that they've got to catch their breath, 375 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:24,800 get a little bit of recovery from the acceleration, he goes himself. 376 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:30,959 But look at the ominous feeling as Robbie said, look at that gap. 377 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:33,959 It's down to just over a minute 378 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:38,000 and there's still 6.5km to ride for the group out in front. 379 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:41,000 If ever there was a script to be written to come 380 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:43,959 from a long way back, to close a gap, 381 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:46,959 to set the fastest time to seal the tour de France, 382 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:49,959 to win on the legendary mountain Tadej Pogacar 383 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:52,959 might have just picked it up in the hotel this morning, 384 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:56,960 and he is reading it line by line to perfection. 385 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:00,960 It's a glorious image. 386 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:08,960 And once more, Tadej Pogacar is right at the centre of it. 387 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:26,959 On the way to pro cycling's most famous finish, steep 388 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:30,959 and steeped in history with another big chapter. 389 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:35,800 You just get that feeling being written right here, right now. 390 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:41,960 50s and Carapaz kicks for the umpteenth time. 391 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:44,959 This one answered a little bit more strongly 392 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:46,959 by Sepp Kuss looking over the shoulder, 393 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:49,959 looking for the reaction of Lenny Martinez. 394 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:53,959 Another huge attack by Richard Carapaz, but if anything, 395 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:58,959 they're just getting slightly less potent each time. 396 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:01,959 Sepp Kuss all the gaps, opening a little bit more to Kuss this time. 397 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:06,000 This time. But Martinez for now has the answer. 398 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:08,959 This is great to see for Lenny Martinez. 399 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:11,959 However, it ends today because before we knew about Paul Seixas, 400 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:14,800 this man was the next big thing for France, wasn't he? 401 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:18,800 Yes, and he is really improving as the years go on. 402 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:20,959 As we can see, they just have to knock it off a little bit here. 403 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:22,640 Carapaz slowing it down. 404 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:25,320 Martinez going very close to the spectators there. But yeah. 405 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:28,640 Lenny Martinez he's doing a really strong performance here. 406 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:31,959 And yeah, he's the one who maybe fresh 407 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:34,959 has gone into this stage because Carapaz let's not forget he was out 408 00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:37,959 in the breakaway yesterday Martinez in the peloton. 409 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:39,959 So, you know, that is a little bit of an advantage. 410 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:41,959 And you can see after the the attack 411 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:44,959 of Carapaz Martinez, he just goes to the front every time. 412 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:48,640 So that tells that he is not, you know, totally in the red 413 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:51,959 when Carapaz attacks. Five days to go at the front. 414 00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:54,320 They're just about through the latest wall of spectators. 415 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:56,959 That was putting them off that little bit there you could see. 416 00:22:56,960 --> 00:22:58,320 But look at those gaps. 417 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:02,959 Robbie Pogacar has taken two minutes already on the group. 418 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:06,640 He left. But over the last almost kilometre 419 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:09,959 it hasn't changed by very much for Tadej Pogacar. 420 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:13,959 So with his big accelerations by Richard Carapaz and the reactions 421 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:17,959 from the other two, it's keeping Tadej Pogacar at bay. 422 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:21,320 Over this last little section and steady state. 423 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:24,960 Sepp has returned once again, a terrific trio. 424 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:28,959 Will they be the people's champs if they could hold the big man 425 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:29,960 off here? 426 00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:33,959 Well, that gap dropping quickly on screen. 427 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:36,959 But you've also got to consider that the motorbike with the 428 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:39,320 with the camera and the GPS equipment, they float 429 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:42,959 a little bit forwards and backwards, depending on crowd density, etc. 430 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:45,160 it's hard to know exactly all the time, 431 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:48,959 but it's giving us 38 at the moment. They're Wright with Tadej Pogacar. 432 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:53,959 He is coming quick, so Sepp Kuss is around the corner here. 433 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:57,960 Another dig from him. What a fight we're seeing. 434 00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:04,960 It's still not a given that Tadej Pogacar is going to catch them. 435 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:08,959 It's going to come down to the wire, and I really think it's in the hands 436 00:24:08,960 --> 00:24:13,959 of these three and how they choose to ride this next four kilometres. 437 00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:15,959 They're just going to attack each other and pause, 438 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:19,640 or really get down to business and sort of give the nod. 439 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:22,959 Let's just make sure we get there. 440 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:27,640 Everybody put in full full gas from Sean. 441 00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:29,959 It's half a minute now. Yes, it's coming down quickly, 442 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:32,959 but Sepp Kuss is doing a really good pull there. 443 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:34,959 That's what they need to do. Just go to the front. 444 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:40,480 One rider pulled for 150 200m, and then the other rider do the same. 445 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:42,959 They should have been doing that much earlier, as we can see. 446 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:44,959 You know Pogacar is coming up very quickly. 447 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:47,959 But yeah still 4.2 to go here. 448 00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:50,640 I think it's just going to be that little bit too much 449 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:53,960 for the three leaders out in front to hold on. 450 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:56,959 Here's Kuss the money to go there. 451 00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:00,160 We saw Saint Pogacar in the parting of the crowds. 452 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:06,480 Kuss here again. Vuelta a Espana. 453 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:09,959 Winner! There's Carapaz. He's won the Giro. 454 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:14,960 Martinez a future king anointed. But here's the goat in yellow. 455 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:21,959 Only four wins in this tour. Looking for number five. 456 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:25,000 But it's not the numbers he wants today. 457 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:27,959 It's the name. It's the place. It is. 458 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:31,960 That set piece monument climb Alpe d'Huez. 459 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:38,959 The crowd is incredible, like the United Nations of cycling fans 460 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:41,480 and looking at the faces and seeing the cheers, 461 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:43,959 the encouragement, it's like the spectators. 462 00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:46,959 All these fans have made their way to Alpe d'Huez. 463 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:49,959 They want the mythical climb to be won by 464 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:52,959 what's quickly becoming the mythical man. 465 00:25:52,960 --> 00:25:55,959 But he wants them out the way you could see the hand there, 466 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:58,959 the gestures, here I come, and he's at 20s now. 467 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:00,959 He will soon see them up the road. 468 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:03,959 And here through this arch, he does see them. 469 00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:08,959 Tadej Pogacar makes visual contact with four kilometres still to ride. 470 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:12,959 And into the barriers into the open air and a much better view 471 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:15,959 and Tadej Pogacar he can see his prey. 472 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:19,480 The apex predator is on the way. 473 00:26:19,960 --> 00:26:22,959 Oh, Pogacar is on his way to make contact. As Robbie was just saying. 474 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:25,800 Here he is. They will look round and think, 475 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:28,160 oh no, not again. Behind. 476 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:31,160 Very quickly Riccitello made contact with Seixas. 477 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:33,800 And he's pulling that group now. There they go. 478 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:36,959 They look behind. Oh, we've got to get a move on, guys. 479 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:37,959 Yes. Well, we can see here 480 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:40,480 that they can, you know, just look over their shoulder. 481 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:43,959 They can see Pogacar coming up and it's going to be an interesting one. 482 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:47,480 How much Pogacar has, you know given here to get up to those guys 483 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:49,959 because the gap was a big one. 484 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:54,959 Uh, he has closed the real well and now coming into the final 3.5km. 485 00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:57,000 It does get a bit easy as well in this section. 486 00:26:56,960 --> 00:26:59,959 Then as you go into Alpe d'Huez itself, 487 00:26:59,960 --> 00:27:03,000 it just gets more steep on that last number of kilometres there. 488 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:05,959 Will there be some chance fencing their chances 489 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:07,959 in the sprint against this man? 490 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:10,959 But I think Pogacar will he way to the sprint when he comes up here. 491 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:14,320 Will he just put in that you know big, big attack once again 492 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:18,959 and just distant the three riders we have here in the front end of race. 493 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:20,959 I don't think POG wants to go to a sprint. 494 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:23,959 I think he'd love to cross the line alone. The interesting thing to see 495 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:27,160 will be how does he approach crossing the last part of this gap? 496 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:30,959 Is it really tempo already kind of saving something 497 00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:34,959 in a little bit of recovery, just loading the battery up. 498 00:27:34,960 --> 00:27:36,959 And then how long does he stay with them? 499 00:27:36,960 --> 00:27:39,959 When he gets there, does he try and go straight away? 500 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:41,959 Even Nepal makes the move. Sorry to interrupt, 501 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:46,959 but this is the man in second place who's taken on the rest must chase. 502 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:50,959 Were looking at those in front as he tries to get ahead in Nepal 503 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:54,000 himself going like a motorbike, never mind trying to pass it. 504 00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:56,320 And then we are looking to Seixas, 505 00:27:56,160 --> 00:27:58,959 to Del Toro to see how they react at the front. 506 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:02,959 They react before he gets to him. It's chaos on the mountain. 507 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:06,959 Sepp Kuss with another attack. Absolute chaos. 508 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:08,959 Further down and caught in a traffic jam was 509 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:15,480 Remco Evenepoel Kuss acceleration matched by Martinez and Carapaz. 510 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:19,320 But they just know it's inevitable. The man in yellow is almost on. 511 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:20,959 Well, they try to chase at the moment. 512 00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:22,959 Here is Nepal. He's attacked the four cars to go. 513 00:28:22,960 --> 00:28:25,959 Now it's Seixas himself is going to go out in search. 514 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:27,959 Look here at the man in the multi-coloured jersey. 515 00:28:27,960 --> 00:28:31,959 That's Skjelmose standing to be in around fifth or sixth place? 516 00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:33,959 It's Del Toro to six after we're looking at. 517 00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:36,959 Yes. And look at the gap back to this group 518 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:38,959 of Seixas and the White jersey. 519 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:41,480 Like they have lost so much time on this man. 520 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:43,959 We can see in the background in the yellow jersey here 521 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:44,959 and they continue on here. 522 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:48,959 Carapaz the question is, is Pogacar just leave them hanging out there. 523 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:51,959 As Robbie mentioned, lead them attack each other because 524 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:54,320 when you come up to them, they're going to just sit in your wheel. 525 00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:57,000 Unless you can put in a big attack and you'll go blind very, 526 00:28:56,960 --> 00:28:58,320 very quickly. 527 00:28:58,160 --> 00:29:01,959 Uh, because we can see Carapaz is the one who's turning out to be 528 00:29:01,960 --> 00:29:04,959 just that little bit stronger here. Uh, 2.5 to go. 529 00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:10,480 But yeah, this man, what has he got left to close down this final 10s? 530 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:11,959 Well, that was the one by Carapaz. 531 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:14,320 That was the answer didn't come from Sepp Kuss. 532 00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:17,959 Martinez tried. He can't go. He looks over, sees Pogacar. 533 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:20,000 So Richard Carapaz now on the loose 534 00:29:19,960 --> 00:29:23,959 and it will be 100% effort from now as far as he can get, 535 00:29:23,960 --> 00:29:27,160 and he hopes that is as far as the finish line. 536 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:32,959 Pogacar Kuss. He goes past Martinez for the first time on this climb. 537 00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:35,960 It was Carapaz unanswered. 538 00:29:37,960 --> 00:29:39,960 2.5km to go. 539 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:43,959 The stopwatch is on, by the way. 540 00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:50,960 A reminder those records 37 minutes, 35 seconds for the 14.5 Kuss 3655 541 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:56,960 for 13.8 is about to tick over to 30 minutes right now. 542 00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:16,959 Del Toro Del Toro questions about how he's been. 543 00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:18,959 The answer here is that it looks 544 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:23,959 as though he could be putting Paul Seixas further from the podium 545 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:28,160 and the white jersey on a day when France began with plenty of dreams. 546 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:31,959 But France might still be dreaming here, because as Pogacar gets close 547 00:30:31,960 --> 00:30:34,959 to Carapaz, there are two kilometres to go. 548 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:38,959 So Sits up Lenny Martinez Wright on the wheel. 549 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:41,959 But Martinez has done an incredible job to be able 550 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:44,959 to follow Tadej Pogacar back across this gap, 551 00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:46,959 which still isn't closed yet. 552 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:48,959 And Richard Carapaz he's fighting, 553 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:52,959 he's making Tadej Pogacar really hurt himself to close 554 00:30:52,960 --> 00:30:55,960 every single centimetre of this gap. 555 00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:56,959 But there it is. 556 00:30:56,960 --> 00:30:59,800 Pac-Man POG. He's got them all. 557 00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:03,959 Tadej Pogacar, just under two kilometres from the summit, 558 00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:06,959 completes the catch of 3.5 minutes. 559 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:09,959 He started at the bottom. However this ends. 560 00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:12,959 That was absolutely exhilarating. 561 00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:16,800 And now the games begin for the stage win 562 00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:19,959 and a chance as they come through town here to add their name 563 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:23,320 to the most famous roll of honour in mountain climbing. 564 00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:27,959 Yes, and we can see Carapaz continue on to make a nice pace here 565 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:31,959 And that's because he just needs that little bit of a rest point 566 00:31:31,960 --> 00:31:33,959 after just making this effort here. And yeah, 567 00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:36,640 it's going to be an interesting one. As we go to the line. 568 00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:39,959 Pogacar goes here. He wants to go with the attack. 569 00:31:39,960 --> 00:31:43,959 Tadej Pogacar moves and at the minute he can't distance them. 570 00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:47,960 And that is a change to usual advertised programming. 571 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:51,959 Carapaz On the wheel Martinez. In third. 572 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:53,959 It's a real competition. This. 573 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:56,959 They've gone through the named and celebrated corners, 574 00:31:56,960 --> 00:32:01,959 each bend every metre lined with history there in the town. 575 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:05,959 Now the fans are here and they're getting the show they wanted. 576 00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:09,959 One of the most celebrated and storeyed of a sense, 577 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:14,640 is getting one of the best chapters in its history. 578 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:16,959 Well, Tadej Pogacar coming out of the tunnel knew it was 579 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:17,959 the right moment to go. 580 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:21,320 A little steep kicker had a go at making that acceleration, 581 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:23,959 quickly looked over, said it's just not for now. 582 00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:25,959 Not with that gap. He's had to close, and 583 00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:29,000 it's going to be an intriguing battle between these three. 584 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:31,320 If it does indeed become a sprint to the line, 585 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:36,160 I wonder if Pogacar got one more in him to see if he can offload. 586 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:40,959 One kilometre to go on Alpe d'Huez Tadej Pogacar with Carapaz 587 00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:44,320 with Martinez Sean, and he can't yet shake them. 588 00:32:44,160 --> 00:32:45,959 No? Well, he did give a try there, 589 00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:48,000 but you see immediately they were in the wheel and just continues on. 590 00:32:47,960 --> 00:32:50,959 Settle this real strong pace as we go through the Kilometre zero 591 00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:53,959 just goes downhill a little bit here. 592 00:32:53,960 --> 00:32:57,959 And again he's just testing them. Of course we can see. 593 00:32:57,960 --> 00:33:00,959 I think they're all going to be able to follow here on the wheel. 594 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:03,800 And yeah, in the sprint it's going to be an interesting one. 595 00:33:03,640 --> 00:33:08,160 Opening Opens a gap now the gap 800m. Tadej Pogacar knowing now 596 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:12,800 that every pedal stroke takes him closer to a place in history, 597 00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:14,959 he doubles down, he grits his teeth. 598 00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:18,959 The most incredible ascent, rapid time, 599 00:33:18,960 --> 00:33:23,959 and another great story about to be added to a legend 600 00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:29,480 Alpe d'Huez tour de France and Tadej Pogacar is going to conquer it. 601 00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:34,160 Now he's not just winning stages, he is reshaping the record books. 602 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:38,160 Pogacar had to win here. It was written in the stars, 603 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:42,959 destined to do it on the most legendary of mountains. 604 00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:44,959 It's not just the fact he's going to do it. 605 00:33:44,960 --> 00:33:47,959 It's the way in which he has done it today. 606 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:49,959 The questions about illness. 607 00:33:49,960 --> 00:33:53,160 Will his team be strong enough? A break getting almost five minutes, 608 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:56,959 a 3.5 minute gap closed from bottom to top. 609 00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:59,959 Tadej Pogacar collecting monument climbs. 610 00:33:59,960 --> 00:34:02,959 Here he is in the yellow jersey. 611 00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:06,959 And now, just three days from joining the five time winner's club, 612 00:34:06,960 --> 00:34:10,959 Tadej Pogacar is here to cement his name 613 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:14,959 on the roll of honour of the mighty Alpe d'Huez. 614 00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:17,480 It's Pogacar on Alpe d'Huez. 615 00:34:17,320 --> 00:34:19,959 It is the fastest ever ascent, 616 00:34:19,960 --> 00:34:26,000 and Tadej Pogacar On seals it with a fairy tale, Hollywood style script. 617 00:34:25,960 --> 00:34:33,000 Win fit not meant now, 35 minutes and 27 seconds 618 00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:36,320 has smashed the Alpe d'Huez record. 619 00:34:36,160 --> 00:34:39,960 Tadej Pogacar take a bow. 620 00:34:40,960 --> 00:34:43,959 Wow, what a ride. And you know we could see it in the final. 621 00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:46,959 The way he would just continue on keeping the pressure on. 622 00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:48,959 Just increase that and 623 00:34:48,960 --> 00:34:50,959 just put the other guys in difficulty and rides away alone. 624 00:34:50,960 --> 00:34:54,959 But my God, you know, when you look at the start of this time, 625 00:34:54,960 --> 00:34:57,959 would he be able to do it against the riders out in front 626 00:34:57,960 --> 00:35:00,320 but just dominated? 627 00:35:00,160 --> 00:35:02,959 That is around a minute and a half out of the time 628 00:35:02,960 --> 00:35:05,960 that Marco Pantani set in 1997. 629 00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:10,960 Just let that sink in. 630 00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:18,480 Sepp Kuss here and the part he played today. 631 00:35:18,320 --> 00:35:23,800 A special one as well. Pogacar Martinez who will jump up 632 00:35:23,640 --> 00:35:26,959 in the general classification France not getting its win yet, 633 00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:31,640 but getting another man high up in the GC third for Carapaz fourth, 634 00:35:31,480 --> 00:35:33,640 of course, going to Sepp Kuss 635 00:35:33,480 --> 00:35:37,959 their Remco Evenepoel also making sure that second place is 636 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:43,480 very likely to be his Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe committed today, 637 00:35:43,320 --> 00:35:47,959 and he is going to take time on his rivals for that podium. 638 00:35:47,960 --> 00:35:50,959 Already a healthy lead over Del Toro Johannessen 639 00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:53,640 with another combative top ten ride. 640 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:58,480 He's collecting those and Remco Evenepoel already a winner. 641 00:35:58,320 --> 00:36:00,959 We questioned whether he could do it at the tour. 642 00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:05,960 His answer with his new preparation is a resounding yes. 643 00:36:11,960 --> 00:36:15,959 Remco Evenepoel over here comes Del Toro and behind. 644 00:36:15,960 --> 00:36:20,480 We are looking at Seixas and Skjelmose, the latter Clearly. 645 00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:23,959 GC Lead-out for Lidl Trek Del Toro. 646 00:36:23,960 --> 00:36:29,959 Here comes France's 19 year old Paul Seixas with another incredible ride. 647 00:36:29,960 --> 00:36:33,959 Yes, it will be overshadowed by what we've just seen. 648 00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:38,959 My God, the way he just took off in the early kilometres of the alpine. 649 00:36:38,960 --> 00:36:40,959 And you know that pace he was going. 650 00:36:40,960 --> 00:36:43,959 We could see the way the gap was coming down so quickly. 651 00:36:43,960 --> 00:36:47,320 Impressive. And this guy keeps on impressing us all the time. 652 00:36:47,160 --> 00:36:49,960 And every time it seems to get better. 653 00:36:50,960 --> 00:36:54,959 Well, every hairpin was lined several deep, 654 00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:57,960 all winning everybody on. 655 00:36:58,320 --> 00:37:02,959 And Tadej Pogacar has continued to push this sport on one by one. 656 00:37:02,960 --> 00:37:06,959 They'll come over, each having their own Alpe d'Huez experience. 657 00:37:06,960 --> 00:37:07,959 Tomorrow they'll do it again. 658 00:37:07,960 --> 00:37:11,959 But from the other side for those 21 hairpins, 659 00:37:11,960 --> 00:37:15,160 the latest story, possibly its greatest. 660 00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:23,960 Tadej Pogacar and Alpe d'Huez now go together in the record books. 661 00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:26,959 It's a magnificent fifth stage win 662 00:37:26,960 --> 00:37:29,800 at this year's tour de France for Tadej Pogacar, 663 00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:32,959 and this time it comes atop the iconic Alpe d'Huez. 664 00:37:32,960 --> 00:37:34,959 Was it ever in doubt? Probably not. 665 00:37:34,960 --> 00:37:38,959 He takes his first ever victory on this legendary mountain. 666 00:37:38,960 --> 00:37:42,959 Tadej Pogacar. Rarely have we seen you celebrate so much 667 00:37:42,960 --> 00:37:47,320 and be so happy after a victory. This one really meant a lot for you. 668 00:37:47,160 --> 00:37:50,960 I think I celebrated the same, like always. 669 00:37:51,960 --> 00:37:55,960 But still it's us and it's your first victory at us. 670 00:37:55,800 --> 00:37:58,959 It's a very cool, uh, two to win up here. 671 00:37:58,960 --> 00:38:02,959 And, uh, yeah, it was crazy, crazy atmosphere all climb and, uh. 672 00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:05,959 Yeah, uh, it was, uh, 673 00:38:05,960 --> 00:38:09,800 thanks to all the team that, uh, that I could pull it off in the end. 674 00:38:09,640 --> 00:38:11,959 Uh, and, uh, yeah, I was riding. 675 00:38:11,960 --> 00:38:13,959 I was riding for the team-mates today, and, 676 00:38:13,960 --> 00:38:15,959 and yeah, I'm super happy to take the win. 677 00:38:15,960 --> 00:38:18,959 It was a pretty ambitious plan. 678 00:38:18,960 --> 00:38:22,480 It was a Pogacar plan to take off early on the final climb. 679 00:38:22,320 --> 00:38:26,959 Yeah, when I heard some of the guys drop when Felix was pulling 680 00:38:26,960 --> 00:38:31,160 super good pace at the beginning of the climb, I knew that. 681 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:34,959 Yeah, I mean, already the climb before we could, 682 00:38:34,960 --> 00:38:37,959 we were going full gas because the breakaway was so strong. 683 00:38:37,960 --> 00:38:40,959 We were going full gas all day. And then at the beginning, 684 00:38:40,960 --> 00:38:43,959 first kilometre of Alpe d'Huez, I knew that, yeah, 685 00:38:43,960 --> 00:38:48,959 it's a it's a good I have good legs and there's not many guys left that, 686 00:38:48,960 --> 00:38:53,959 uh, that maybe can follow or, or try to go with me. 687 00:38:53,960 --> 00:38:56,959 So I tried and, uh, yeah, then I committed to the top. 688 00:38:56,960 --> 00:39:01,320 I have Adam in the middle. Uh, give me a big morale boost. 689 00:39:01,160 --> 00:39:03,959 And I was super happy that he is finally back. 690 00:39:03,960 --> 00:39:08,480 And after that day of TT, he was so bad. 691 00:39:08,320 --> 00:39:11,959 And, uh, yeah, I'm was super happy to ride behind him 692 00:39:11,960 --> 00:39:15,959 for a couple of kilometres on the, on the climb and yeah, uh, 693 00:39:15,960 --> 00:39:21,640 in the end I had to fight a fight off against super good riders, 694 00:39:21,480 --> 00:39:23,960 but they were playing a bit with each other in the end. 695 00:39:23,800 --> 00:39:28,480 So this helped me to to catch up and win the win the stage. 696 00:39:28,320 --> 00:39:32,320 He takes the stage win six seconds ahead of Lenny Martinez 697 00:39:32,160 --> 00:39:34,959 and nine seconds ahead of Richard Carapaz. 698 00:39:34,960 --> 00:39:37,480 To put that into context, they started the climb 699 00:39:37,320 --> 00:39:39,959 just under 3.5 minutes ahead of him. 700 00:39:39,960 --> 00:39:42,959 Sepp Kuss and Tobias Harland Johannessen, 701 00:39:42,960 --> 00:39:45,959 also part of the breakaway, came home in fourth and fifth 702 00:39:45,960 --> 00:39:50,320 with Remco Evenepoel finishing sixth, almost 2.5 minutes down. 703 00:39:50,160 --> 00:39:51,959 We can cross now to Hannah Walker. 704 00:39:51,960 --> 00:39:53,960 She's joined by a special guest today. 705 00:39:54,960 --> 00:39:57,959 The mythical Alpe d'Huez. What an incredible stage. 706 00:39:57,960 --> 00:40:02,959 Tadej Pogacar taking that victory atop of the climb behind me, 707 00:40:02,960 --> 00:40:04,959 closing that gap to the breakaway. 708 00:40:04,960 --> 00:40:07,959 And I'm stood here with a very, very special guest who's been enjoying 709 00:40:07,960 --> 00:40:11,959 the tour de France from the other side of the fence, Chris Froome. 710 00:40:11,960 --> 00:40:13,959 Four years ago, you were here battling 711 00:40:13,960 --> 00:40:17,640 for the stage victory against another Brit Tom Pidcock. 712 00:40:17,480 --> 00:40:19,959 What does it feel like to be here on the other side 713 00:40:19,960 --> 00:40:22,320 and witnessing that performance today? 714 00:40:22,160 --> 00:40:24,959 I mean, uh, absolutely loving being here. 715 00:40:24,960 --> 00:40:26,959 Uh, especially being stood on the other side of the fence 716 00:40:26,960 --> 00:40:29,959 because, uh, yeah, that that that just hurts. 717 00:40:29,960 --> 00:40:32,959 And I don't miss that at all that, that side of it at all. 718 00:40:32,960 --> 00:40:36,959 But, uh, yeah, what a, what a pleasure to witness that. 719 00:40:36,960 --> 00:40:39,160 I mean, that was really quite something quite special 720 00:40:39,000 --> 00:40:42,160 that we saw today. Um, I mean, 721 00:40:42,000 --> 00:40:44,959 it was really obviously touch and go with the stage who was going to, 722 00:40:44,960 --> 00:40:47,480 if it was going to come from the breakaway or from the GC group. 723 00:40:47,320 --> 00:40:49,959 But I mean, that that ride that Ted did, 724 00:40:49,960 --> 00:40:53,000 I mean, it sounds as if he, he smashed whatever record stood 725 00:40:52,960 --> 00:40:56,959 before before on for Alpe d'Huez and just super impressive. 726 00:40:56,960 --> 00:40:59,959 Nothing more to say really. Yeah, absolutely. 727 00:40:59,960 --> 00:41:00,960 Incredible. Incredible. 728 00:41:00,800 --> 00:41:03,959 Looking ahead to another big day tomorrow with so much elevation, 729 00:41:03,960 --> 00:41:08,959 5400m of elevation across a long stage, 730 00:41:08,960 --> 00:41:13,960 can you see any other team, any rival trying something? 731 00:41:14,160 --> 00:41:17,320 I'd say the race for the yellow jersey. That's that was that was 732 00:41:17,160 --> 00:41:20,960 over the first day we started climbing exactly on the Tourmalet. 733 00:41:20,800 --> 00:41:23,959 But this is this is really now the race for for for the podium spots. 734 00:41:23,960 --> 00:41:26,959 Now I think I think we'll see a big battle between those guys. 735 00:41:26,960 --> 00:41:28,959 And I think today is just going to sit back 736 00:41:28,960 --> 00:41:30,960 and benefit off of that battle. 737 00:41:30,800 --> 00:41:32,959 And he'll probably come in at the end and steal the victory 738 00:41:32,960 --> 00:41:36,959 as in true fashion. But, uh, yeah, we'll wait and see. 739 00:41:36,960 --> 00:41:39,959 This is how the General classification stacks up. 740 00:41:39,960 --> 00:41:42,800 And Tadej Pogacar takes another huge step 741 00:41:42,640 --> 00:41:44,959 towards a fifth tour de France title. 742 00:41:44,960 --> 00:41:48,959 He now leads the race by seven minutes and 11 seconds. 743 00:41:48,960 --> 00:41:51,959 Isaac Del Toro remains in third now nine minutes 744 00:41:51,960 --> 00:41:54,000 and 42 seconds behind the race leader. 745 00:41:53,960 --> 00:41:58,000 In the battle for the white jersey, Del Toro extends his advantage 746 00:41:57,960 --> 00:42:01,959 by a few more seconds and now sits 24 seconds ahead 747 00:42:01,960 --> 00:42:04,959 of Paul Seixas after a day in the breakaway. 748 00:42:04,960 --> 00:42:06,959 Lenny Martinez climbs two places 749 00:42:06,960 --> 00:42:10,960 in the general classification to round out the top five. 750 00:42:11,480 --> 00:42:13,960 If you thought today had a lot of climbing. 751 00:42:13,800 --> 00:42:15,960 Tomorrow is even more brutal. 752 00:42:17,320 --> 00:42:19,960 There are 5450m of climbing packed into 171km. 753 00:42:21,960 --> 00:42:24,959 The route starts in Le Bourgeois and finishes back on Alpe d'Huez, 754 00:42:24,960 --> 00:42:28,959 but this time the riders will climb it via the Col de Saram. 755 00:42:28,960 --> 00:42:31,000 Before that, though, the peloton must tackle two 756 00:42:30,960 --> 00:42:34,959 or category climbs the Col de Glandon and the Col du Galibier. 757 00:42:34,960 --> 00:42:37,959 With 70 points on offer in the King of the mountains competition 758 00:42:37,960 --> 00:42:40,160 tomorrow will be the decisive day. 759 00:42:40,000 --> 00:42:42,959 Richard Carapaz leads that classification 760 00:42:42,960 --> 00:42:45,959 by just a single point ahead of Tadej Pogacar. 761 00:42:45,960 --> 00:42:47,959 While the crowd scenes were incredible. 762 00:42:47,960 --> 00:42:49,959 Einer Rubio was forced to abandon 763 00:42:49,960 --> 00:42:54,959 after fans unfortunately failed to get out of the way in time. 764 00:42:54,960 --> 00:42:58,800 Just one more day remains before the procession into Paris, 765 00:42:58,640 --> 00:43:02,800 and Tadej Pogacar takes another step closer to joining the greats. 766 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:05,960 Join us tomorrow for another epic day in the mountains.