UAE Team Emirates-XRG's Pogacar claims fourth Tour de France title
The 26-year-old Slovenian, who previously triumphed in 2020, 2021 and 2024, delivered a near-flawless performance over three weeks, excelling in every department, even coming close to prevailing on a spectacular final stage on the Champs Elysees after an epic duel with Belgian Wout van Aert.
Pogacar attacked relentlessly in the ascents of the Butte Montmartre but eventually suffered a brutal counterpunch from Van Aert, who went solo to win the 21st stage.
The competitive element was largely neutralised on Sunday after organisers decided to freeze the times with about 50 kilometres left in the stage due to hazardous road conditions in driving rain.
It did not prevent Pogacar from going for it, but Van Aert proved to be the best on the day, beating Italian Davide Ballerini and third-placed Matej Mohoric. Pogacar took fourth place.
The world champion effectively sealed his victory in the Pyrenees, with a brutal attack on the climb to Hautacam and a commanding victory in the uphill individual time trial, leaving chief rival Jonas Vingegaard more than four minutes behind before controlling the race.
German Florian Lipowitz finished third on his Tour debut and won the white jersey for the best U-25 rider.
'This was one of the hardest Tours I've ever been in,' Pogacar said.
On Sunday, celebrations turned tense when the final stage featured three climbs up Montmartre. Times had been neutralised some 50 km from the finish due to slippery roads, but a fierce fight for the stage win still unfolded.
With his latest triumph, Pogacar equals Froome (2013, 2015-17) and now only trails cycling greats Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Jacques Anquetil and Miguel Indurain, who share the record with five titles.
Pogacar also secured the polka-dot jersey for the mountains classification, underlining his all-round dominance, while Italy's Jonathan Milan clinched the green jersey for the points competition.
For Ineos Grenadiers, the once all-conquering team that ruled the 2010s with victories by Bradley Wiggins, Froome and Geraint Thomas, there was little to celebrate beyond two stage wins by Thymen Arensman.
Thomas, a former champion, rode his last Tour in virtual anonymity, as the British outfit continues to face questions amid doping allegations reported in recent weeks.
As tradition dictates, riders entered Paris in a celebratory mood, but the finale proved anything but routine with the Montmartre climbs spicing up the closing laps.
Meanwhile, Mavi Garcia became the oldest rider to win a stage at the women's Tour de France on Sunday.
The 41-year-old Spaniard clinched the second stage with a solo breakaway. She looked back twice before realizing she would not be caught and then raised her arms aloft at the finish line.
Dutch rider Annemiek van Vleuten was 39 when she won a mountain stage on the 2022 women's Tour, organizers said.
Garcia attacked with about 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) left on the 110.4-kilometer hilly stage through Brittany and ending in Quimper. She looked like being caught near the end as the peloton loomed large behind her, but she kicked in and won by three seconds.
'I've been racing for a long time and I hadn't been having my best year, but this win really gives me a massive boost of energy,' Garcia said.
'I really didn't believe I was going to win at the end. I've tried many times like that and it never worked out, so I just couldn't believe it until I was five meters from the line.'
Dutchwoman Lorena Wiebes was second and Kim Le Court of Mauritius took third place in a sprint to the line.
Le Court did just enough to take the race leader's yellow jersey from cycling great Marianne Vos, who won Saturday's opening stage in a close finish and placed fifth on Sunday.
Le Court and Vos have the same overall time after two stages, but Le Court now leads overall courtesy of her better combined stage finishes over the first two days.
Stage 3 on Monday is a flat stage for sprinters, ending in the western city of Angers. The nine-stage race ends on Aug. 3.
Agencies
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