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Australian Groves wins penultimate Tour stage, Pogacar in yellow

Alpecin rider Kaden Groves won stage 20 of the Tour de France on Saturday after a long-range escape that saw the Australian finish well ahead of the big guns.

Runaway overall race leader Tadej Pogacar maintained his lead over Jonas Vingegaard ahead of Sunday’s 21st and final stage in Paris.

The Team UAE rider has a 4min 24sec advantage heading into what could be a tricky finale, a 132km ride from Mantes-la-Ville to the Champs-Elysees, but featuring three ascents of the cobbled streets of Montmartre.

The champion-in-waiting was left shaking his head after almost getting taken down in a fall 500m from the line on Saturday as lashing rain made the roads hazardous on the run in to Pontarlier.

This was a third stage win for Alpecin after Jasper Philipsen and Mathieu van der Poel took the two opening wins.

“They gave me a free role in the final days,” Groves said after both Philipsen and Van der Poel pulled out. 

“I’m going to enjoy this one and celebrate with my team and enjoy the Champs tomorrow.”

Just 158 riders crossed the rolling hills at the foot of the Jura and many looked haggard after the fast racing in the Alps.

So along the Swiss border, most of the peloton seemed happy to let an escape get a 7min lead after an exhausting slog that started July 5.

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