Tadej Pogacar’s towering domination of this year’s Tour de France is once again raising eyebrows in a sport long tainted by the specter of doping. The Slovenian has never tested positive for a banned substance and denies any suggestion his performance in the saddle is chemically enhanced.

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Ben Healey remains ninth in general classification at the Tour de France as Tadej Pogacar conquered his demons on the Col de la Loze to stretch his advantage in yellow as Ben O'Connor won stage 18.

Analysis of the latest day's action in the 2025 race - 171km from Montpellier up to the summit of the iconic Mont Ventoux

Tadej Pogacar rampaged through the Pyrenees, winning atop Hautacam on stage 12, then demolishing the field in the time trial on stage 13, and those back-to-back wins have gone some way to ensuring the destiny of the Tour de France title is looking fairly well sewn up.

When the reigning champion suffered a 40 mph crash, his title defense was in jeopardy. Until a man in blue overalls jumped off his motorbike and leapt into action.