Tadej Pogacar won stage 19 atop Alpe d'Huez in record time, stretching his lead in dominant fashion during the 127.9km mountain stage.
Pogacar's Record-Breaking Ascent
Pogacar conquered Alpe d'Huez in 35 minutes 29 seconds, more than a minute quicker than Marco Pantani's previous record. He crossed the finish line first, with Martinez in second and Carapaz in third.
Pogacar's performance made a mockery of earlier doubts about UAE Team Emirates XRG's capabilities. Seixas congratulated the winner, saying: "You're insane."
Key Moments on the Climb
With 2km to go, Carapaz was still ahead but unable to hold the pace. Pogacar chased down the lead breakaway, catching Carapaz and attacking. At 1.7km to go, his attack did not stick initially, but he soon surged ahead.
Pogacar's gap to the leaders reduced quickly: at 8km to go it was 1 minute 50 seconds, and by 4.2km he was only 20 seconds behind. He picked off riders from the breakaway, eating up the mountain.
Carapaz Takes Polka-Dot Jersey Lead
Carapaz's third-place finish means he takes the lead in the polka-dot jersey standings. He trails Paret-Peintre by just six points earlier in the stage, and could be in the jersey by the end.
Paret-Peintre had earlier taken the lead in the mountains classification and collected more polka-points, but Carapaz's performance on Alpe d'Huez moved him ahead.
Other Race Developments
Pedersen extended his green jersey lead after mopping up the intermediate sprint. Isaac del Toro attacked at 1.9km to go, putting distance between himself and Seixas, which could settle the white jersey competition.
The GC group saw Pidcock lose contact and Ayuso struggle, setting up a shake-up in the top ten, especially with Martinez up the road. Pogacar now leads the race with a significant advantage.
