Kaden Groves wins Tour de France stage 20 with epic solo break

Australia Broadcast Center

6 days ago

Kaden Groves has claimed his maiden Tour de France victory with a stunning late solo attack from 16 kilometres out on a 184.2km hilly stage 20 from Nantua to Pontarlier.
The Australian, who has already won stages at the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España, burst into tears after crossing the line.
Normally a sprinter and used to winning in a bunch sprint, this was the Queenslander's first professional victory in this fashion.
Romain Gregoire and Ivan Romeo both fell heavily on a wet descent just before the Australian broke away.
He is the third different stage winner from Alpecin-Deceuninck and the 114th rider to win a stage at all three grand tours.
The race leader Tadej Pogačar finished safely in the peloton, having sealed his third King of the Mountains classification prize.
Australian Harry Sweeney won the combativity award for his work in the breakaway, however it was bad news for Ben O'Connor, who lost ground on Jordan Jegat to fall out of the top 10.
Groves finished 54 seconds ahead of Dutchman Frank van den Broek.
"There are so many emotions to win here," Groves said.
"The team, we came here with so many plans with Jasper and Mathieu,
"Today I had super legs and I just suffered to the line and in reward we get a tour stage."
Groves started the race as lead-out man for stage one winner Jasper Phillipsen, before he crashed out on stage three.
Then, Mathieu van der Poel, who won on stage two, withdrew ahead of the final week after being diagnosed with pneumonia.
"There's so much pressure at the Tour," Groves said.
"Having won in the Giro, having won in the Vuelta, all I'm asked is whether I'm good enough to win at the Tour.
"And today I was."
Sunday's final stage is a 132.3 km ride into Paris, where the traditional finish on the Champs-Élysées has been spiced up with three climbs of the Montmartre climb, which was featured in the 2024 Paris Olympics.