Egan Bernal all but clinched victory in the Tour de France defending his overnight lead in the penultimate stage which left the Colombian only needing to cross the finish line on Sunday's parade into Paris to win the 2019 edition. The champion in waiting said he was so nervous on the climb he counted down the kilometres on the way up as defending champion Welshman Geraint Thomas ended the day in second overall, with Dutch rider Steven Kruijswijk in third. The stage itself was won by 2014 winner Vincenzo Nibali who broke from the main contenders late in the final climb to win by 17sec at the line where he raised his finger to his lips, kissed it and raised it to the sky.
"I still have to get Paris but it's incredible," said the rider who is set to become the Tour's youngest winner since Francois Faber in 1909. "I'm a little calmer now," added the modest Colombian. "It'll take a few days to realise what I have achieved. "To be honest I was feeling good today, I kept thinking 5km, 4km, 3km one less, one less to go each time.