Stage 20

The road

At the start

Rocamadour, and the memory of 2020

Forty-one kilometres against the clock, the longest Tour time trial since 2014, and Jonas Vingegaard needs only to stay upright: Tadej Pogačar is 3:26 back, more than five seconds a kilometre. Jumbo-Visma still remember 2020, when 57 seconds evaporated on La Planche des Belles Filles. "The yellow jersey isn't yours until you bring it to the Champs-Élysées," Van Aert said this week.

How it was won

1. 119 km to go

   Van Aert already 24 seconds up

   At the second time check Van Aert has taken twenty-four seconds out of Filippo Ganna — but the GC men are still to come, and Vingegaard smashes the first check by seven seconds.

2. 25 km to go

   A wobble on the descent

   Ahead at every intermediate check, Vingegaard nearly loses his balance on a fast descent near the end of the course. He visibly backs off afterwards — the Tour is not worth a stage win.

3. 3At the line

   Van Aert wins the longest TT since 2014

   The Belgian takes the stage by nineteen seconds from his own leader, his third win of the race. Vingegaard's second place seals the yellow jersey, with Pogačar confirming second overall and Thomas the last step of the podium.

The result