Richard Carapaz Becomes Virtual King of the Mountains at Tour de France

Ecuadorian cyclist Richard Carapaz is on the verge of becoming the virtual King of the Mountains at the Tour de France, holding a commanding lead after Saturday's grueling 20th stage. With 156 points, Carapaz, known as 'La Locomotora del Carchi,' needs only to cross the finish line in the final stage to officially claim the iconic polka-dot jersey.

Stage 20, widely considered the queen stage, presented the most significant challenge of the race. The 170.9-kilometer route from Le Bourg-d'Oisans to Alpe d'Huez featured a substantial elevation gain and tested riders with four major climbs: the Col de la Croix de Fer, Col du Télégraphe, Col du Galibier (the highest point of the Tour at 2,642 meters), and the treacherous Col de Sarenne with its steep gradients and hairpin turns.

Carapaz's dominant performance in the mountains allowed him to accumulate 50 of the 70 available points on this stage, extending his lead significantly. He now holds a 56-point advantage over Tadej Pogačar and a 57-point lead over Paret Peintre. His consistent performance has not gone unnoticed; Carapaz was recognized as the most combative rider on four previous stages.

While securing the King of the Mountains title is within reach, Carapaz also competed fiercely for the stage win itself. He remained with the leading group throughout the challenging final kilometers, demonstrating his endurance and determination after 22 days of intense competition. The final stage on Sunday will be a largely flat route ending in Paris, typically favoring sprinters and offering no further opportunities for mountain points.