Bernal set for Tour title

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 in today’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 i 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. “When we got to the finish and Geraint held out his hand I realised it was over and I was going to win the Tour de France.”

Bernal and Thomas, co-captains at Team Ineos, crossed the winning line a few seconds ahead of their key rivals and smiled broadly at each other as they held hands in unity to mark the moment. Ineos principal Dave Brailsford appears to have masterminded seven tour wins from the last eight editions with Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome and Thomas having taken six and Bernal within a parade of the latest triumph. Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe, who led for 14 days before cracking on Friday’s weather neutralised stage finished down the field to drop to fifth place overall.