The 26-year-old from Durango, Colorado, riding for Jumbo-Visma, was the epitome of the local hero as he broke away on the final climb of the mountainous 191.3 kilometres stage 15 from Céret to his current place of residence, Andorra la Vella.

Kuss came home 23 seconds clear of Spain’s Alejandro Valverde of Movistar Team in 5hr 12min 6sec.

Wout Poels of The Netherlands took over the polka dot jersey after finishing third at 1min 15sec with five riders seven seconds back from him.

"It’s incredible, I am lost for words," said Kuss.

"I was really suffering in this Tour.

"I didn’t feel I had the spice in the legs.

"Today I knew we were finishing in the place where I live, and I am so happy.

"It was a hard day in the breakaway.

"I don’t know the climb so much from training because it’s really hard.

"It means a lot, I can’t believe I am in the Tour, much less winning a stage."

Pogacar, riding for UAE Team Emirates, extended his lead in the general classification to 5min 18sec from Colombia’s Rigoberto Uran, riding for EF Education, with Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard at 5:32, Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz, of INEOS Grenadiers, at 5:33 and Australia’s Ben O’Connor, of AG2R-Citroen, at 5:58.

Guillaume Martin of France, who had moved up to within five minutes of the overall leader after stage 14, dropped today to ninth in the overall standings, 7:58 behind the Slovenian.

Canada’s Israel Start-Up Nation rider Michael Woods was usurped at the top of the King of the Mountains standings by Poels, who now has 74 points to the Canadian’s 66, with Colombia’s Nairo Quintana of Team Arkea-Samsic on 64.

Tomorrow will be a rest day before the remaining six stages of the Tour, which is set to conclude with the run in from Chatou to Paris on Sunday July 18.