With the race concluding on Sunday (July 18), the gruelling three climbs towards the end of today’s stage had been billed as pivotal. 

After beginning in the town of Muret, a relatively steady first two-thirds of the stage were followed by the Col de Peyresourde and Col de Val Louron-Azet category-one climbs before finishing with the 16-kilometre Col du Portet climb.

Slovenia's Pogačar caught French leader Anthony Perez with 8.5km to go on Bastille Day, and only Danish Jumbo-Visma rider Jonas Vingegaard and Richard Carapaz of Ecuador and Ineos Grenadiers could keep pace with Pogačar then.

Carapaz made his move with a little more than 1km to go, but could not drop Pogačar.

Pogačar then kicked clear 150 metres before the line - crossing it in 5 hours 3mins 31sec.

Vingegaard came second, three seconds back, and Carapaz was an additional second behind to complete the top three.

This was Pogačar's first-ever stage victory while wearing the yellow jersey, and the 22-year-old is now 5min 39sec clear of second-placed Vingegaard in the general classification.

Colombian Rigoberto Urán slipped from second to fourth in the overall standings, losing 1:49 on the stage to be 7:17 off Pogačar's pace.

Carapaz is third, 5:43 back.

A 129.7 km mountain stage is in store tomorrow, the last mountain stage of this year's race.