Ben O’Connor has won the challenging Alpine stage to Courchevel. Three-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar also responded to attacks from rival Jonas Vingegaard to keep the yellow jersey.

Jonas Vingegaard remains adamant that he is still in with a chance of beating Tour de France leader Tadej Pogačar despite losing a further nine seconds to the UAE Team Emirates-XRG racer in the closing metres of the brutally difficult Col de la Loze ascent on stage 18 on Thursday.

With the world champion set to seal a fourth Tour title this weekend, this is how he ensured his supremacy in the sport's biggest race

The Tour de France comes to a head with one final Alpine stage - and it’s now or never for Jonas Vingegaard to seize Tadej Pogacar’s crown

Pogačar did not deliver any last-minute fireworks as the rain and hail teemed down at La Plagne, his one attack halfway up the climb reducing the front group to the four top names on the GC, after which he seemed content to lead at a steady but not relentless pace ahead of Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike).

The first stage of the Tour de France is completed! The 184 riders started in Lille, where the first leader's jersey was awarded. In three weeks, we will know who will take home the yellow jersey, as well as the green,

Tadej Pogacar is three days away from a fourth Tour de France title - but admitted he was fed up with the three-week race

Eighth in the 2023 Tour, the same year the Austrian climber won at Courchevel after crossing the Col de La Loze at the head of the field, barring absolute disaster, Gall now looks set for a career-best result in Paris in two days.