"I decided not to follow" - Tadej Pogacar on Arensman's win, Vingegaard battle and fatigue

Tadej Pogacar has survived the final day in the mountains and has virtually confirmed his fourth Tour de France win. The UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider had another strong day on the bike, although he raced the final climb in an unusual way and looked to not try going for the stage win in the final kilometers of the stage.

After resisting the attacks of Jonas Vingegaard on stage 18, Pogacar delivered a psychological blow and was not challenges by Team Visma | Lease a Bike on the final Alpine day. UAE had free reign to keep the pace throughout the shortened 93-kilometer long stage, and rode through comfortably until the start of the 19-kilometer ascent to La Plagne, mostly raced in the rain.

"We were riding really well until the last climb, but other riders thought they could sprint 19 kilometers up that climb," Pogacar said in a post-race interview. "The pace was incredibly high at the start, and I briefly thought Jonas might want to win the stage too, but in the end, he was right on my wheel". 

Pogacar attacked with 14 kilometers to go but wasn't able to drop his rival. Afterwards, he let Thymen Arensman go up the road. The Dutchman had already won stage 14 from the breakaway, and was a rider Pogacar didn't mind see winning as he is a friend. "Arensman attacked at a good moment, and I decided not to follow. I kept my pace, for defensive reasons. I felt comfortable with that. Now I'm especially happy it's over: there are still two days until Paris."

Pogacar wasn't attacked as Jonas Vingegaard looked to also only be eyeing the stage win and following the wheel of the Slovenian. Pogacar paced several kilometers up the final climb but without an extreme pace, and ultimately both rode into the final sprint in the wheel of Florian Lipowitz.

"I had to ride the entire climb at the front, so I finish quite fatigued. I've had three tough days and I'm happy that the tough weekend is approaching," he admits. "It's still the Tour de France, and we have to stay focused for two more days".