Paris witnesses Pogacar’s fifth Tour de France title, Van der Poel wins final sprint
Tadej Pogacar secured his fifth Tour de France title on Sunday, joining an elite group of cyclists who have achieved this milestone. The final stage in Paris culminated in a dramatic sprint finish on the Champs-Élysées, where Mathieu van der Poel claimed his second stage victory of the race.
Pogacar, representing UAE Team Emirates-XRG, finished the overall race 6 minutes, 26 seconds ahead of Remco Evenepoel. His teammate, Isaac Del Toro, a 22-year-old Mexican making his debut, secured third place overall, 9 minutes, 42 seconds behind Pogacar. Del Toro also claimed the white jersey for the best young rider, adding to his second-place finish at the Giro d’Italia last year.
A Historic Victory and a Thrilling Finish
Pogacar’s fifth win places him alongside cycling legends Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain. This achievement follows a dominant performance throughout the 2026 Tour de France, where he also secured five stage wins, bringing his total career stage victories to 26. Merckx, an 81-year-old Belgian cycling icon, suggested that Pogacar would likely pursue a sixth Tour victory, indicating he would not be content with merely equaling the record.
The final stage, shortened to 88.7 kilometers (55 miles) and starting in Paris due to wildfires in the southwest, featured a challenging uphill climb through the Montmartre district. Riders tackled this 1-kilometer ascent three times before the finish. Van der Poel launched a decisive attack on the third and final climb, with Pogacar responding. Despite being caught with 700 meters remaining, Van der Poel managed to hold off the chasing pack in a photo finish, securing victory just ahead of Jasper Philipsen and Mads Pedersen.
Van der Poel described the victory as a dream, reflecting on watching the stage from home last year due to illness. He expressed his respect for Pogacar, acknowledging the difficulty of staying with the world’s best rider. His determination in the final 500 meters, pushing as hard as possible, ultimately led to his triumph on the Champs-Élysées.
Key Classifications and Team Success
Beyond the overall yellow jersey, other significant classifications were decided. Mads Pedersen, who was among the contenders for the final stage win, claimed the green jersey as the best sprinter. Richard Carapaz, a 33-year-old Ecuadorian veteran, earned the polka-dot jersey for the best climber for the second time in his career, finishing 56 points ahead of Pogacar in that classification.
The team classification was won by Lidl-Trek, who maintained a substantial lead over UAE Team Emirates-XRG. Lidl-Trek’s success included Pedersen’s green jersey, Quinn Simmons as best teammate, and two riders, Mattias Skjelmose and Juan Ayuso, finishing in the top seven of the general classification. This marked a significant achievement for Luca Guercilena, the Lidl-Trek general manager.
The final stage saw tactical racing, with teams like Decathlon-CMA CGM working to position their sprinters, such as Olav Kooij. Despite various attacks and a strong lead group that included Pogacar and Van der Poel, the peloton remained in contention until the final kilometers. The excitement of the final lap on the Champs-Élysées, with Adam Yates of UAE Team Emirates-XRG leading the peloton, highlighted the competitive nature of the race’s conclusion.
The Tour de France Femmes is scheduled to begin on August 1 in Lausanne, Switzerland, and conclude on August 9 in Nice. The men’s Tour de France 2026 concluded with Pogacar’s historic fifth victory, marking an exceptional end to the event.
Source: theguardian.com
