Defending Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar took victory on stage three of the Tour de France with a late acceleration to the line following a 195.9km route from Granollers to Les Angles.
The Slovenian also acquired the overall lead and yellow jersey after the stage winner’s bonus points took him level on time with Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard of Visma-Lease a Bike, who had been in yellow since Saturday’s opening stage.
Pogacar took control with around half a kilometre to go, taking Vingegaard and French darling Paul Seixas of Decathlon-CMA CGM by surprise with a blistering attack.
Pogacar was led up the final category three climb by Sunday’s stage winner and UAE Team Emirates-XRG team-mate Isaac del Toro of Mexico, who Pogacar had shepherded over the line the previous day while very clearly holding back his own pace.
On a sweltering hot day in the Pyrenees on the border between northern Spain and southern France, fans had been told to stay away from the area around Les Angles at the finish because of wildfires.
Temperatures could once again reach 40C in south-west France this week and have already exceeded 40C in parts of Portugal and Spain.
Pogacar, 27, is trying to claim his fifth Tour title to become the joint-most successful rider in Tour history, alongside Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.
“I got some extra power in the final [thanks to Del Toro] because he committed more than 100% in the final climb,” said Pogacar.
“All [of the] team in the middle of the stage said it is possible to go for the stage win and I’m really happy we started the Tour with this incredible finish today.
“To take yellow is a dream for any cyclist of any age, so for me any time I can get it on my shoulders, it feels special.”
Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz of EF Education Easypost finished third just ahead of Seixas, both two seconds down on Vinegaard.
The best-placed Briton on the day was Tom Pidcock of Pinarello-Q36.5 in 16th, 18 seconds down, alongside Colombia’s Egan Bernal of British ‘super team’ Netcompnay Ineos Cycling.
Pidcock sits in 11th in the general classification, one minute 22 seconds down, with the highest-place Netcompany Ineos rider Thymen Arensman of the Netherlands in 16th, two minutes 19 seconds behind yellow.
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