Defending Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar showcased his prowess on stage three, clinching victory with a late surge on a challenging 195.9km route from Granollers to Les Angles. This triumph not only secured him the stage win but also the overall lead and coveted yellow jersey, thanks to stage winner's bonus points that leveled him on time with Jonas Vingegaard of Visma-Lease a Bike, who had held the yellow since the opening stage.

Pogacar executed a masterful attack with about half a kilometer remaining, catching both Vingegaard and French favorite Paul Seixas of Decathlon-CMA CGM off guard. He received crucial support from his teammate Isaac del Toro of UAE Team Emirates-XRG, who had helped Pogacar the previous day by pacing him to victory.

The stage unfolded under intense heat in the Pyrenees, with temperatures soaring above 40C in parts of Spain and Portugal. Authorities advised fans to avoid the finish area due to nearby wildfires, adding to the day's challenges.

At just 27, Pogacar aims for his fifth Tour title, which would tie him with legends like Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain.

I got some extra power in the final thanks to Del Toro, who committed more than 100% in the final climb,

Richard Carapaz of EF Education Easypost finished third, just ahead of Seixas, both two seconds behind Vingegaard. The best-placed Briton was Tom Pidcock of Pinarello-Q36.5, finishing 16th, while Egan Bernal of Netcompany Ineos Cycling also performed well. Pidcock currently ranks 11th in the general classification, one minute 22 seconds down.