NICE: Tadej Pogacar will be firmly in the spotlight as he goes down the ramp last on Sunday’s final day individual time trial in his adopted home of Monaco, with a third Tour de France title all but secured. The final stage of the 2024 Tour will be broadcast around the world as he speeds along the corniche from Monaco to Nice.

“I can ride home from there and sleep,” Pogacar said earlier in the Tour. The picturesque Riviera resort plays host to the Tour’s final day rather than the traditional ride down the Champs-Elysee in Paris with the 2024 Olympic Games beginning in the French capital on Friday.

Having won five stages, Pogacar enjoys a healthy five-minute 14-second lead over Jonas Vingegaard, winner of the past two editions. Barring a major incident it will be his third Tour win, completing a Tour-Giro d’Italia double not achieved since 1998.

It will also provide him the platform for potential Olympic glory in two weeks and at the world championships which follow soon after. The 25-year-old, runner-up to Vingegaard on the last two Tours, took the lead on day four, attacking his key rival downhill as the race entered France via the Alps from Italy after three days there.

Vingegaard said on Friday he was no longer targetting the title but fending off third placed Remco Evenepoel, who starts at Nice 2min 50sec adrift. Other stars emerged along the way, as Eritrean rider Biniam Girmay won three stages, the sprint points green jersey and national hero status in his homeland.

He narrowly beat the 2023 sprint king Jasper Philipsen, who won three stages but never had the lead in the points race. Belgian newcomer Remco Evenepoel is set to win the best young rider’s white jersey, also winning the first individual time trial and looks good for a spot on the podium going into the final day in third.

The 24-year-old Evenepoel trails second-placed Vingegaard by 2min 50sec, but is expected to win the final day’s individual run. “He’s the best time-triallist in the world,” Vingegaard said Saturday. Olympic champion Richard Carapaz is being hailed as the most combative rider on the 2024 Tour.

The Ecuadorian EF rider won a stage, took the yellow jersey for a day and came close to other victories. He raced on Saturday in the polka dot best climber’s jersey. Another Belgian won hearts, as the tough Victor Campenaerts rung one up for dads everywhere.

After winning a three-way battle to close out stage 18 he grabbed a phone for a video call with his partner, who immediately showed him their newborn baby, Gustaaf, with dad in tears. “You have no idea how much this means,” he said, though nobody asked if he was referring to the stage win.

The French did well too, grabbing the opening day win with Kevin Vauquelin and calming nerves from home fans. Retiring Romain Bardet, twice a podium finisher, should be well received in Nice after a fine Tour. He took the yellow jersey, albeit for a day.

Mark Cavendish also grabbed the headlines, claiming a record 35th stage win. Second bottom of the overall rankings Cavendish will go down the ramp second for what is likely his last ever Tour de France stage. — AFP