Tadej Pogacar, the 27-year-old Slovenian cyclist, has claimed his fifth overall victory in the Tour de France, matching the record held by cycling legends Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Induráin. His latest triumph concluded on the Champs-Élysées, with the final stage won by Mathieu van der Poel.
Pogacar’s achievement places him as the youngest and fastest to reach five Tour wins. He has spent nearly 9,500km in the yellow jersey across his five victories, a remarkable feat considering he first took the lead in his inaugural Tour win in 2020 on the penultimate day. His average speed of 41.99kmh surpasses that of any other five-time winner, and he has secured more mountain stage victories.
A Dominant Performance and Team Success
The UAE Emirates XRG team, led by Pogacar, demonstrated significant dominance throughout the race. The team earned €832,750 in prize money, while the Picnic PostNL team received €12,770. Pogacar’s teammate, Isaac del Toro, also made it to the Paris podium, finishing third overall and securing the white jersey for the best young rider.
Del Toro’s success was partly attributed to Pogacar’s strategic support, including sacrificing a potential victory on the ‘queen’ stage to Alpe d’Huez to help consolidate Del Toro’s podium position. Del Toro, at 22 years old, won stage two with Pogacar’s assistance in the lead-up to the finish line.
Pogacar’s victory marks his third consecutive Tour win and included a record-breaking ascent of Alpe d’Huez on stage 19. This performance highlighted his explosive launch and consistent pace, leaving rivals with limited answers. His career includes wins in major races such as the Tour of Flanders, Giro d’Italia, Milan-San Remo, Road World Championships, Giro di Lombardia, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, accumulating 127 wins in his professional career.
The final stage in Paris, typically a ceremonial sprint for overall contenders, featured a circuit over Montmartre hill. Mathieu van der Poel, a classics specialist, took the stage victory after a charge with Pogacar with 11km remaining. Van der Poel managed to stay ahead of a chasing pack, securing a prestigious win on the famous cobbles.
Records Broken and Future Prospects
Pogacar’s performance included breaking Marco Pantani’s Alpe d’Huez climbing time record, covering 13.8km in 35 minutes and 27 seconds, over a minute faster than the previous record set in 1995. He also set a new record for the Col du Tourmalet, beating his own previous best from 2023. These records contribute to this year’s Tour de France being the fastest in the race’s history, averaging 43.326kph over 3,321km.
The increased speeds are attributed to advancements in bicycle technology, equipment, and athlete training and nutrition. Team principal Mauro Gianetti of UAE Team Emirates noted significant improvements in bike components, tyre pressure, helmets, and kit fabric over the last five years. He also highlighted the enhanced training systems and nutrition as key factors.
Despite his dominance, Pogacar’s mother, Marjeta, stated that he would stop racing when it is no longer fun. She speculated he might continue at his current level for another 10 years. Pogacar is expected to participate in the Vuelta a España, which begins in Monaco on 22 August.
French riders had a mixed experience in the Tour. For only the third time, there were no home stage wins, but three French riders—Paul Seixas, Lenny Martinez, and Jordan Jegat—finished in the top 10. Nineteen-year-old Seixas, despite recovering from a June crash and a cold, finished fourth in the general classification. He expressed disappointment at missing the podium but found motivation in Pogacar’s performance, aiming to work harder to achieve his dream of winning the Tour.
The future plans of Pogacar’s rival, Jonas Vingegaard, remain uncertain after he crashed out of the Tour. Both Pogacar and Vingegaard were subjected to nocturnal doping controls by the International Testing Agency, though no results have been released. Remco Evenepoel of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgohe finished six minutes 26 seconds behind Pogacar overall.
Other jersey winners included Richard Carapaz of EF Education-Easypost, who claimed the king of the mountains’ polka dot jersey after winning stages 18 and 20. Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek secured the green points jersey, winning stage four and accumulating points through tenacious riding. The final stage results saw Mathieu van der Poel (Ned/Alpecin-Premier Tech) finish first in 1hr 58mins 49secs, followed by Jasper Philipsen (Bel/Alpecin-Premier Tech) at the same time, and Mads Pedersen (Den/Lidl-Trek) in third.
Source: theguardian.com
As NewsGB.org's Sports News Writer, Theo Marsden reports on rugby union, golf and boxing for readers across the country. He began on a regional sports desk in Yorkshire. He holds a degree in Journalism from the University of Hull and completed an NCTJ diploma. Theo lives in Hull, where he follows the European Tour and amateur rugby. “Sport moves fast; readers deserve it right the first time.”