A Perilous Stage 20

The penultimate stage of the 2026 Tour de France took place this Saturday, bringing Tadej Pogačar one step closer to securing his third consecutive overall victory. However, the race was marred by dramatic incidents involving American rider Sepp Kuss, who suffered two separate crashes during the day's events.

The latter of these two incidents was particularly alarming. While navigating a sharp turn, Kuss lost control and narrowly avoided plummeting down the mountainside, saved only by a protective safety fence that prevented him from crossing the road barrier.


Race Complications and Missed Opportunities

Earlier in the race, Kuss had been leading the pack and appeared poised to claim a stage win. Despite hitting a wall near a tunnel entrance, he managed to regain his composure and maintain his lead position temporarily. The second accident, however, proved more detrimental to his momentum.

Although Kuss showed remarkable resilience to continue the race after such a harrowing near-miss, the lost time allowed his competitors to surge ahead. By the end of the stage, he finished in third place, trailing the winner, Richard Carapaz of Ecuador, by 31 seconds and Remco Evenepoel of Belgium by five seconds.

Had Kuss managed a victory, he would have broken a five-year dry spell for American cyclists in the competition. It is worth noting that Kuss himself remains the last American to secure a stage win, an achievement dating back to his performance in the 2021 race from Céret to Andorra la Vella.


Current Standings

Entering the final stage on Sunday, Remco Evenepoel holds second place in the general classification, though he remains roughly seven minutes behind the leader, Tadej Pogačar. The current top rankings are as follows:

  • Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia: 72:53:44
  • Remco Evenepoel, Belgium: 73:00:10 (+6:26)
  • Isaac Del Toro, Mexico: 73:03:26 (+9:42)
  • Paul Seixas, France: 73:05:40 (+11:56)
  • Lenny Martinez, France: 73:06:46 (+13:02)
  • Mattias Skjelmose, Denmark: 73:08:43 (+14:59)
  • Juan Ayuso, Spain: 73:11:32 (+17:48)
  • Richard Carapaz, Ecuador: 73:13:44 (+20:00)
  • Tom Pidcock, Great Britain: 73:23:12 (+29:28)
  • Jordan Jegat, France: 73:27:05 (+33:21)