Sawt Falasteen - Arensman climbs to Tour de France stage win as Pogacar extends lead

Double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel, who had been third overall, pulled out of the race on the day's first climb of the daunting 2180m altitude Tourmalet.

The Belgian Soudal Quick-Step rider appeared exhausted after Friday's uphill time trial.

Arensman attacked on the third of four mountains on a colossal climb day while Slovenian Pogacar outsprinted Jonas Vingegaard for second just over a minute behind the winner.

Crossing the line in the mist at 1840m altitude, Arensman flung himself to the ground exhausted after taking a first win on this Tour for British team Ineos.

The 25-year-old produced a virtuoso climb amidst suffocating packs of near hysterical fans who had waited all day for the peloton to pass.

Behind him Pogacar fought off a string of attacks from his arch rival Vingegaard on a day the Slovenian never looked like attacking for the win.

Winner of the past two stages Pogacar pounced for the line from 50 metres with his trademark kick gaining another six seconds on the Dane.

Pogacar, overall race winner in 2020, 2021 and 2024, now leads Vingegaard by 4min 13sec with Florian Lipowitz moving into third place at 7min 53sec.

German Lipovitz of Red Bull rode on Pogacar's wheel until Dane Vingegaard, who won back-to-back Tour titles in 2022 and 2023, had attacked late on.

After three days in the Pyrenees the riders next have a hilly stage 15 over 169.3km from Muret to the medieval fortified town of Carcassonne.

H.Darwish--SF-PST