The Tour de France reaches its brutal, decisive climax this weekend. Tadej Pogačar heads into the final Alpine stages holding a 4:32 lead over Remco Evenepoel, with Isaac del Toro a further 1:26 back in third after a dramatic second half of the race that saw two-time champion Jonas Vingegaard crash out with a fractured collarbone on Stage 15. Since then, Pogačar has controlled the race from the front, but the back-to-back ascents of the legendary Alpe d'Huez and the high-mountain stages still to come represent the last realistic chance for Evenepoel or del Toro to crack the Slovenian's advantage before Paris.

Friday and Saturday bring the final serious mountain tests of the 2026 race, with the GC picture expected to be all but settled by the time the peloton reaches the flat, ceremonial procession into the capital. Mads Pedersen continues to lead the points classification comfortably ahead of Jasper Philipsen and Biniam Girmay, while del Toro holds a slender lead over Paul Seixas in the young rider standings after a superb ride on Stage 15. Sunday's finale on the Champs-Élysées brings the curtain down on three weeks of racing, with the traditional sprint for stage honours a fitting final act before the overall champion is crowned in Paris.

When: Stages 19–20 Friday, July 24 & Saturday, July 25 (Alps) · Stage 21 & Final Podium Sunday, July 26 · Champs-Élysées, Paris

Formula 1 heads to Budapest for the final round before the summer shutdown, with the Hungaroring celebrating its 40th consecutive year on the calendar since 1986. Andrea Kimi Antonelli arrives in commanding form, having claimed his sixth win of the season at Spa-Francorchamps from pole position after George Russell crashed out on the opening lap. That result extended the Mercedes rookie's championship lead to 45 points over Lewis Hamilton, with Hamilton's own difficult weekend in Belgium — a first-lap collision with Russell — seeing him drop to third overall behind Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc.

The tight, twisty 4.381km Hungaroring layout is one of the toughest circuits on the calendar to overtake on, rewarding mechanical grip and high-downforce setups over raw straight-line speed — conditions that have suited McLaren perfectly in recent years, with back-to-back 1-2 finishes for the team in 2024 and 2025. Hungary also marks a significant midseason milestone: the summer break officially triggers an exit clause in Max Verstappen's Red Bull contract, activated because the four-time champion cannot mathematically finish Sunday's race inside the championship's top two. All eyes will be on whether Antonelli can extend his advantage further before Formula 1 pauses for its mandatory factory shutdown.

When: Free Practice & Qualifying Friday, July 24 · Sprint Race Saturday, July 25 · Grand Prix Sunday, July 26

One of the most iconic weeks on the entire darts calendar reaches its climax this weekend as the World Matchplay — the sport's unofficial "major" of the summer — crowns its champion at the legendary Winter Gardens in Blackpool. This year's edition carries a record £1,000,000 prize fund, with £225,000 going to the winner, and Thursday night's opening quarter-finals have already delivered box-office drama.

Defending champion Luke Littler booked his semi-final spot with a commanding 16-7 win over Josh Rock, continuing his relentless march towards a second straight title. He was joined in the last four by Dirk van Duijvenbode, who survived a dramatic late fightback from two-time world champion Gary Anderson to edge through 16-13. Should Littler go on to lift the trophy this weekend, he would become just the second player in history to win back-to-back World Matchplay titles, matching Michael van Gerwen's 2015-16 double.

Friday night completes the quarter-final picture with two blockbuster ties: Gian van Veen — who eliminated dark horse Wessel Nijman in a thrilling second-round shootout — takes on former champion James Wade, while Gerwyn Price faces Ross Smith for a place in the semi-finals. The winners join Littler and van Duijvenbode in Saturday's last four, before Sunday's Empress Ballroom final decides who lifts the Phil Taylor Trophy. A women's exhibition event featuring the top eight from the Women's Series tour also takes place on Finals Day, rounding out a full weekend of world-class darts inside one of the sport's most atmospheric venues.

When: Remaining Quarter-Finals Friday, July 24 (from 20:00 BST) · Semi-Finals Saturday, July 25 (from 20:00 BST) · Final Sunday, July 26 (from 20:00 BST) · Winter Gardens, Blackpool, England