Pogacar’s Historic Achievement
Tadej Pogacar, riding for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, has won the Tour de France for a record-equalling fifth time. The 27-year-old Slovenian cyclist crossed the finish line on Paris’ Champs-Elysees as part of the peloton, joining a select group of riders who have achieved this feat. This victory places him alongside Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain as one of the most successful male cyclists in the endurance event’s history.
Pogacar’s win marks his third consecutive Tour de France title. His performance included a notable ascent of Alpe d’Huez on stage 19, where he secured a dominant victory. Throughout the race, Pogacar demonstrated his strength, winning five stages in total.
Beyond the Tour de France, Pogacar has achieved success in numerous other major cycling events, including the Tour of Flanders, Giro d’Italia, Milan-San Remo, Road World Championships, Giro di Lombardia, and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. He now has 127 wins in his eight-year professional career.
Reflecting on his achievement, Pogacar described it as “something you wouldn’t even maybe write in a story book.” He expressed gratitude to his fans, team, and family for their support. Despite joining the ranks of cycling legends, Pogacar stated that he is not focused on historical records but rather on enjoying the moment.
Dramatic Finale on the Champs-Elysees
The final stage of the Tour de France, typically a ceremonial ride for the overall contenders, saw a thrilling finish. The Netherlands’ Mathieu van der Poel of Alpecin-Premier Tech claimed victory after a charge to the line on the cobbled streets of the French capital. He narrowly beat his teammate, Jasper Philipsen of Belgium.
Organisers introduced a circuit that included a cobbled climb over Montmartre hill, which encouraged more powerful riders to compete for the stage win. Van der Poel and Pogacar led the charge with 11km remaining, navigating the narrow lanes past Sacre-Coeur. While Pogacar eventually faded, Van der Poel maintained his lead against a chasing pack of sprinters, crossing the line first.
Van der Poel, known for his strength in one-day races, added this prestigious stage victory to his achievements, which include multiple wins in Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders. The stage was shortened from 133km to 89km due to emergency services being redirected to tackle wildfires in south-west France.
Other Notable Performances and Future Outlook
Among Pogacar’s rivals, Remco Evenepoel of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgohe finished second overall, 6 minutes 26 seconds behind. Isaac del Toro, Pogacar’s Mexican teammate, secured third place overall and the white jersey for the best young rider. Del Toro’s position was aided by Pogacar’s support in key stages, including the ‘queen’ stage to Alpe d’Huez.
Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard, a previous winner in 2022 and 2023, abandoned the race after breaking his collarbone on stage 15. This incident led to scrutiny of the International Testing Agency (ITA), which had conducted an anti-doping test on Vingegaard at 2am. Other riders, including Pogacar, were also tested at unusual hours.
In the jersey competitions, Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz of EF Education-Easypost claimed the king of the mountains’ polka dot jersey, winning stages 18 and 20. Denmark’s Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek secured the green points jersey after consistent riding and a win on stage four.
Looking ahead, Pogacar mentioned his plans to return home to Komenda, Slovenia, for a criterium race and the ‘Pogi Challenge’ amateur ride, which will raise money for his foundation. He also expressed interest in watching some stages of the Tour de France Femmes to support his partner, Urška Žigart. Regarding his participation in the Vuelta a España, Pogacar indicated that he would decide in the coming weeks.
Source: bbc.co.uk
Niamh Pendlebury is the Sports Reporter at NewsGB.org, covering tennis, cricket and athletics with seven years of reporting experience. She reported on Team GB and the county circuit. She holds a degree in Sport and Media from the University of Central Lancashire and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Preston, she plays club tennis and follows road running. “The best interviews come from patience, not pressure.”