Tadej Pogacar has won the Tour de France for a fifth time, equalling the record held by riders such as Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider crossed the finish line on the Champs-Elysees in Paris as part of the peloton.
The final stage of the three-week Grand Tour saw Mathieu van der Poel of Alpecin-Premier Tech claim victory. He charged to the line on the cobbled streets of the French capital, narrowly beating Mads Pedersen of Denmark.
Pogacar’s Dominance and Record-Equalling Win
Pogacar’s victory marks his Tour de France win. His performance included a record-breaking ascent during stage 19 on Alpe d’Huez, where he secured one of his four stage wins in the race. His consistent strength and pace have often left rivals without an answer throughout the competition.
The Slovenian rider has achieved success in many major cycling events, including the Tour of Flanders, Giro d’Italia, Milan-San Remo, Road World Championships, Giro di Lombardia, and Liege-Bastgone-Liege. With this latest win, Pogacar now has 126 victories in his eight-year professional career.
Some fans have expressed frustration with Pogacar’s dominant performances, suggesting it diminishes the competitive aspect of the sport. Despite this, his achievements have led many to consider him among the greatest cyclists of all time.
Dramatic Finish on Montmartre
The final stage, typically a ceremonial ride for overall contenders, featured a circuit that included a cobbled climb over Montmartre hill. This change encouraged powerful riders to contend for the stage victory. Van der Poel emerged victorious after breaking away with Pogacar with 11km remaining.
The pair led through the narrow lanes over Montmartre and past Sacre-Coeur. Pogacar eventually faded after three weeks of intense racing, allowing Van der Poel to maintain his lead. Van der Poel managed to stay ahead of a rapidly closing chasing pack before collapsing after crossing the finish line.
Van der Poel added this win to his list of one-day race victories, which include multiple successes in Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders. The stage itself was shortened from 133km to 89km due to emergency services being redirected to tackle wildfires in south-west France.
Other Key Riders and Jersey Winners
Remco Evenepoel of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgohe finished in second place overall, six minutes 26 seconds behind Pogacar. Third place went to Pogacar’s teammate, Isaac del Toro, who also secured the white jersey for the best young rider.
Del Toro, who is a young rider, benefited from Pogacar’s support, particularly on Saturday’s ‘queen’ stage to Alpe d’Huez, which helped consolidate his podium position. Paul Seixas, who is a young rider, of Decathlon-CMA CGM, was another young rider who showed promise on the climbs but ultimately faded.
The polka dot jersey for the king of the mountains was claimed by Richard Carapaz of EF Education-Easypost. Carapaz demonstrated strong form later in the race, winning stage 18. The green points jersey was awarded to Pedersen of Lidl-Trek, who also won stage four.
Britain’s Tom Pidcock of Pinarello-Q36.5 finished ninth in the general classification. His former team, now known as Netcompany Ineos Cycling, did not record a stage victory in attempts. Adam Yates, who is a rider, showed resilience after falling ill on stage 16 and later assisted Pogacar on a climb during stage 19.
The 2027 Tour de France Grand Depart trophy was passed to Great Britain, with starts planned in Edinburgh, Carlisle, Keswick, Liverpool, and Welshpool before heading to France.
Jonas Vingegaard, who won the Tour in 2022 and 2023, abandoned this year’s race after breaking his collarbone on stage 15. The International Testing Agency (ITA) conducted anti-doping tests on riders, including Vingegaard at 2am and Pogacar at 5am, citing “exceptional circumstances” for the night tests.
Pogacar expressed his joy after the race, stating, “Every victory is really special. I’ve ridden Tours already, and I’ve always finished on the podium.”
Source: bbc.co.uk
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As News-GB's Sports Reporter, Megan Sinclair reports on tennis, cricket and athletics for readers across the country. She built her name interviewing rising British talent. She holds a degree in Sport and Media from the University of Edinburgh and completed an NCTJ diploma. Megan lives in Edinburgh, where she plays club tennis and follows track athletics. “Give the athletes room and the story tells itself.”