[themaclad]

Tadej Pogacar continued his dominance at the Tour de France as he won his fourth stage and substantially extended his overall lead.

The Slovenian attacked in the Alps with nine kilometres to go, making up almost three minutes to catch and pass stage leader Matteo Jorgenson of the United States.

His yellow jersey rivals Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel were unable to respond and ultimately lost one minute and 42 seconds to the Giro d'Italia winner.

Pogacar's lead over defending champion Vingergaard now stands at an imposing five minutes and three seconds with two stages remaining.

Simon Yates finished third, with Jorgenson holding off the Briton to claim second.

Tour de France 2024 - stage-by-stage guide and results
Published
14 hours ago
Tour de France: Pogacar wins stage 19 to extend lead - reaction
After his win Pogacar, 25, described the stage as "100% perfect" and added he could "enjoy tomorrow" after extending his lead in the yellow jersey.

The two-time winner raced conservatively until the final climb into the resort of Isola 2000, where his blistering attack was too much for both his rivals around him and those up the road.

"We were here training for a whole month between the Giro and Tour," he added. "I knew this climb super well. I was speaking with team-mates in the training camp how we wanted to race and we did it exactly how we wanted."

Two stages stand between Pogacar and a third Tour de France title.

On Saturday, the peloton stays in the mountains and finishes on the Col de la Couillole. The tour ends with a time trial into Nice on Sunday.

But such is Pogacar's dominance this season, it seems as if Friday's stage 19 may go down as the day the 2024 tour was won.

He won the Giro d'Italia in May and could become the first man since Marco Pantani in 1998 to win the two tours in the same year.

Tadej Pogacar
IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES
Image caption,
Tadej Pogacar is hoping to become the first man to win the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia in the same year since Marco Pantani in 1998

Stage 19 results
Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) 4hrs 4mins 3secs

Matteo Jorgenson (USA/Visma-Lease a Bike) +21secs

Simon Yates (GBR/Team Jayco AlUla) +40secs

Richard Carapaz (Ecu/EF Education - EasyPost) +1min 11secs

Remco Evenepoel (Bel/Soudal- Quick Step) +1min 42secs

Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) Same time

Joao Almeida (Por/UAE Team Emirates) +2mins 00secs

Mikel Landa (Spa/Soudal-Quick Step) Same time

Wilco Kelderman (Ned/Visma-Lease a Bike) +2mins 52secs

Derek Gee (Can/Israel- Premier Tech) +3mins 27secs

General Classification after stage 19
Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) 78hrs 49mins 20secs

Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) +5mins 03secs

Remco Evenepoel (Bel/Soudal- Quick Step) +7mins 01sec

Joao Almeida (Por/UAE Team Emirates) +15mins 07secs

Mikel Landa (Spa/Soudal-Quick Step) +15mins 34secs

Carlos Rodriguez (Spa/Ineos Grenadiers) +17mins 36secs

Adam Yates (GB/UAE Team Emirates) +19mins 18secs

Derek Gee (Can/Israel- Premier Tech) +21mins 52secs

Matteo Jorgenson (USA/Visma-Lease a Bike) 22mins 43secs

Giulio Ciccone (Ita/Lidl-Trek) +22mins 46secs