DENMARK’S Jonas Vingegaard is one step closer to winning the 2022 Tour de France after he extended his overall lead with a stunning stage-18 victory.
Defending champion Tadej Pogacar finished second, one minute and four seconds behind, after being dropped on the final climb on the Hautacam.

In a brilliant act of sportsmanship earlier in the race, Vingegaard, 25, waited for and shook hands with Pogacar after the Slovenian rider crashed.
He leads overall by three mins 26 secs.

“It’s incredible,” Vingegaard said. “This morning I said to my girlfriend and my daughter I wanted to win for them and I did. I’m really happy and proud. This one is for my two girls at home.”
He added: “I was just happy that it finally ended. It was incredibly hard. Of course I am incredibly happy that I won the stage.

“There are two more days to come until we are in Paris and we must stay focused.”
Britain’s Geraint Thomas finished fourth – behind Vingegaard’s Jumbo Visma team-mate Wout van Aert who helped distance Pogacar inside the final five kilometres – to stay third in the general classification.

Thomas, the 2018 winner, required a bike change on the final ascent but holds a lead of 3:05 over France’s David Gaudu, whom he finished four seconds ahead of yesterday.
The final mountain test of the Tour – a 143km route from Lourdes to Hautacam – included two hors category ascents, with the Col d’Aubisque coming before the final climb to the iconic finish at Hautacam.

Pogacar, 23, launched several attacks on Vingegaard on the Col de Spandelles, which separated the day’s two major climbs, but on each occasion the yellow jersey was equal to his efforts. (BBC Sport)