UAE Team Emirates-XRG stands on the brink of a fifth Tour de France title, with Pogačar at the top of the general classification after stage 20
July 25, 2026
In a remarkable show of teamwork and friendship, Tadej Pogačar and Isaac del Toro rode across the line together to finish stage 20 of the Tour de France. In doing so, the pair effectively sealed first and third place overall, provided they finish the 88km stage in Paris on Sunday afternoon.
Looking resplendent in the Yellow Jersey, Pogačar stands on the brink of his fifth Tour de France title, whilst his young UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammate proudly sports the White Jersey as the best young rider in the race. The Mexican is set to become the first rider from his country to finish on the podium of the Tour de France.
Stage 20 was the Queen stage of this year’s race, and was won by Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) from the breakaway. Pogačar and Del Toro, meanwhile, crossed the line in fourth and fifth respectively, having seen off attacks on Del Toro’s third-place position. With over 5,000m of elevation gain, Saturday’s stage was a behemoth with all the potential for an upset.
Pogačar had gone into the day with a commanding lead in the Yellow Jersey, but for Del Toro, his advantage over his young rival Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM) had been a slender one.
From Le Bourg d’Oisans to the top of Alpe d’Huez, the Col de la Croix de Fer (24.1km at 5.2%), the Col du Télégraphe (12km at 7.1%), the Col du Galibier (17.7km at 6.9%), and the Col de Sarenne (13km at 7.2%) stood ready to leave their mark on the Tour. It was to be the toughest stage of this year’s race.
Early in stage 20, a large breakaway went up the road, and as with stage 19, the break contained a handful of incredibly strong climbers. As the afternoon rumbled on, it became evident that the race would play out in two halves: the breakaway would likely contest the stage honours, with the peloton behind battling over the general classification places.
As such, Pogačar and Del Toro relied on the help of their teammates to set a good tempo at the front of the bunch. The notable pulls on the Col du Galibier came from Adam Yates and Felix Großschartner, reducing the size of the Yellow Jersey group to under 10 riders as the final few kilometres of the climb approached.
Towards the top of the Galibier, it was Pogačar himself who rode his way to the front of the group and began to drive the pace. This was a signal that the Yellow Jersey was keen to ride in support of Del Toro’s bid to claim a spot on the final podium in Paris.
With Seixas nipping at his heels in the general classification, Del Toro knew that it would require a big performance on the final mountain stage to secure his hold on third position.
Onto the Col de Sarenne, the last major mountain of the day, the Mexican duly delivered, as Decathlon CMA CGM went on the attack. Set up by his teammates, Seixas made a bid to get up the road and mount an attack on Del Toro, but to no avail. The rider from UAE Team Emirates-XRG appeared comfortable in the 19-year-old’s wheel, and sensing weakness, made his own burst of acceleration.
Soon enough, the Yellow Jersey group was down to only Pogačar, Del Toro, and second-placed overall, Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe). Seixas’ hopes of overhauling Del Toro into third place had been dashed, and Del Toro and Pogačar took turns in taking the wind to drive the trio up the mountain.
As the stage victory was duelled between Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Carapaz up the road, Evenepoel, Pogačar and Del Toro crested the Col de Sarenne and advanced onto the upper slopes of Alpe d’Huez, with the stage finish rearing into view.
Through the final few kilometres, Evenepoel clipped up the road, and Pogačar remained with his young teammate to ensure that the pair crossed the line together. Their opponents had been seen off in the mountains, and both the Yellow Jersey and White Jersey had been defended on behalf of UAE Team Emirates-XRG.
Just one stage remains of the Tour de France, an 88km circuit race in Paris on Sunday afternoon. Pogačar and Del Toro will have to finish safely, but will perhaps have their eye on animating proceedings once again. The Montmarte climb and the Champs-Élysées will pull the curtain down on this year’s race.
Pogačar: “First of all, Isaac helped me to arrive in the Yellow, and the team even more. Nils, Florian, on the flat always, Tim, everywhere he is the road captain with Felix always taking decisions, Adam sacrificing himself always, Brandon also from the beginning we cannot forget. Today it was an honour to ride for Isaac for the last hour and a half of the race. I did it with pleasure and I realise how hard it is to work for somebody else. To come together to the line is quite a memorable achievement.
“I did a really good Tour, the whole team did super good. It is the Tour, we made it through with the team and now we have the last 88km in Paris. It will be one last job. Let’s see how we feel tomorrow, and we will take no risks.”
