Tadej Pogacar overtook countryman Primoz Roglic and is ready to change into the youngest Tour de France champion since 1904, the second-youngest in historical past and the primary Slovenian champion.

Pogacar, who turns 22 on Monday, overcame a 57-second deficit to Roglic and received Saturday’s penultimate stage, a 22-mile time trial with a ending four-mile climb. He’s 59 seconds forward of Roglic after three weeks and 84 hours of complete racing.

“Really, my dream was simply to be [in] the Tour de France,” Pogacar stated. “I can’t imagine it, and in case you ask me in a single week, one month, I’ll nonetheless not imagine it, in all probability.”

Pogacar received the stage by 81 seconds, better than the margin separating second place from eighth place after 55 minutes on the roads. Roglic was fifth.

It’s harking back to American Greg LeMond surpassing Frenchman Laurent Fignon within the time trial finale of the 1989 Tour.

That closing margin was the closest in Tour historical past — eight seconds. This one can be the 11th time in Tour historical past that the distinction is lower than a minute.

“I simply, clearly, didn’t push sufficient,” Roglic stated. “I used to be simply increasingly more with out the ability that I clearly wanted. I used to be simply actually giving every thing until the tip.”

Australian Richie Porte will be part of Pogacar and Roglic on the rostrum after transferring up from fourth place going into the time trial. Colombian Miguel Angel Lopez, who got here into the day in third, dropped to sixth.

It’s the primary time since 2007 that everyone on the ultimate Tour de France podium might be there for the primary time.

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Sunday’s finale is the normal ceremonial experience into Paris the place the general leaders don’t assault one another.

Pogacar is driving his first Tour de France and in his second season as knowledgeable bicycle owner with a World Tour crew.

Final September, he completed third within the Vuelta a Espana, considered one of three Grand Excursions, which Roglic received. On the time, Pogacar grew to become the youngest Grand Tour podium finisher since 1974.

“I knew that I may be with one of the best, that I can observe,” after the Vuelta, Pogacar stated, “however I by no means thought that I might win already this yr, particularly on this season that was actually unusual.”

UAE Workforce Emirates initially deliberate to make use of Pogacar to help Fabio Aru, however the Slovenian’s continued emergence modified the plan.

“I’m going [to the Tour] firstly to study,” Pogacar stated in Might. “But when I’ve an opportunity to indicate what I can do, I’ll.”

Pogacar was Robin to Roglic’s Batman for many of this Tour.

Roglic wore the yellow jersey as race chief the final two weeks. heading the dominant Jumbo-Visma crew. Pogacar donned the white jersey for the highest-placed rider 25 and below on a weaker crew.

However after they went head-to-head on climbs, Pogacar normally caught with Roglic, generally driving away with him.

When it got here all the way down to the ultimate climb on Saturday, with no crew help, Pogacar confirmed who was the strongest Slovenian.

“[Roglic] was actually superior by the entire Tour,” Pogacar stated. “He should be devastated, however that’s bike racing, I assume. Immediately I beat him, and that was it.”

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Tadej Pogacar stuns Primoz Roglic, set to win Tour de France initially appeared on NBCSports.com