Four-time and defending champion Tadej Pogacar won Monday’s third stage and seized the overall lead at the Tour de France.
The 27-year-old Slovenian earned his 22nd career stage win on the border-crossing, 195.9-kilometer mountainous trek from Granollers, Spain, to Les Angles, France.
Pogacar took the leader’s yellow jersey from Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard, who finished two seconds behind in second place in Stage 3. The rivals are level on time in the overall standings, but Pogacar has better combined stage placings so far.
Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz made Monday’s podium as the third-place finisher.
Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel is third in the overall standings.
Plenty of fans lined the route despite pleas from organizers to stay away due to wildfires in the area as most of Europe continues dealing with extreme heat.
Stage 4 on Tuesday is a hilly, 181.9-kilometer journey from Carcassone to Foix.
–Field Level Media
