A huge time-trial victory for Vingegaard on Tuesday (July 18) followed by dropping Pogačar in the mountains on Wednesday (July 19) had given the Team Jumbo-Visma rider a big lead of 7min 35sec.

Pogačar, who won the Tour de France in 2020 and 2021 and rides for UAE Team Emirates, earned his second stage victory on this year's race, but with Vingegaard finishing third in the five-way sprint only the largely ceremonial final stage to Paris tomorrow stands between him and back-to-back crowns.

French home favourite Thibaut Pinot of Groupama-FDJ sought a fairytale win on what is expected to be his final appearance on the Tour de France, and went for a solo attack with around 30 kilometres remaining of the 133.5km mountain stage from Belfort to Le Markstein.

However, the 33-year-old three-time Tour de France stage winner was caught on the final climb by a three-rider attack led by Pogačar on the final Col du Platzerwasel category one climb.

Pogačar was joined by Vingegaard and Wednesday's stage 17 winner Felix Gall of Austria and AG2R Citroën Team, with British brothers Simon Yates for Team Jayco-AlUla and Adam Yates for UAE Team Emirates catching them for the largely flat final 5km.

Adam Yates led out the sprint working for team-mate Pogačar, but Vingegaard made a move with around 300 metres remaining.

However, he was followed by Pogačar, who then pulled clear to take the stage in 3 hours 27min 18sec.

"Today I finally felt like myself again," Pogačar said.

"It was in really good from start to finish.

"It was great to feel good again after many days suffering and to pull off a stage win."

Gall finished second ahead of Vingegaard, with Simon Yates in fourth followed by his brother at seven seconds off the pace in fifth.

Pogačar earned 10 bonus seconds and Vingegaard four, cutting the Dane's lead slightly to 7:29.

However, with Vingegaard retaining a huge overall lead and the overall leader traditionally uncontested on the final stage, he is virtually assured of victory.

Adam Yates is also set to finish third on the general classification at 10:56 behind Vingegaard, with Simon Yates moving up to fourth at 12:23 adrift.

Ineos Grenadiers' Carlos Rodríguez of Spain dropped a place to fifth after an early crash led to him losing ground.

Italian rider Giulio Ciccone of Lidl-Trek also sealed the polka dot jersey for topping the mountain classification today, moving onto 105 points to put him 13 clear of Gall in second.

The Tour de France is set to conclude tomorrow with the 115.1km flat stage from Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to Paris' Champs-Élysées.

The Champs-Élysées has hosted the race finale since 1975, but next year's climax has been moved to Nice due to the close proximity to the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.

Green jersey holder for leading the points classification Jasper Philipsen of Belgium and Alpecin-Deceuninck has targeted a fifth stage win on this year's race tomorrow.