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The Independent
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Tadej Pogacar seals fourth Tour de France crown as Wout van Aert wins stage 21 with stunning solo attack
Tadej Pogacar celebrated his fourth Tour de France title in Paris but was denied what would have been a stunning final stage victory as Wout van Aert rode away on the wet cobbles of Montmartre to win on the Champs-Elysees. Pogacar looked keen to take what could prove to be a unique opportunity to win in yellow in Paris as the introduction of three ascents of the climb to Montmartre reshaped the usual final day procession, but Van Aert broke clear on the last time up to take the glory. Although the general classification times had been neutralised in the soggy conditions, Pogacar still had to finish to secure his title yet was willing to risk it all on the greasy cobbles in pursuit of a fifth stage win of this Tour. The Slovenian attacked each time up the narrow climb to whittle down a leading group to just a handful of riders, but had no response when Van Aert made his move 400 metres from the summit of the final ascent, winning solo by 19 seconds from Davide Ballerini. 'It was a special day out,' said Van Aert, who took his 10th career stage win at the Tour and first since 2022. 'It is really special to win here on the Champs-Elysees once again and on the first occasion we climbed to Montmartre. 'The rain made it quite sketchy but I managed to stay upright. I had the full support of my team and I really have to thank them, to keep believing in me over and over again... 'Going into the last climb, to leave it all out there was our plan and it worked.' Pogacar sat up to safely bring home the yellow jersey and beat his rival Jonas Vingegaard by a final margin of four minutes and 24 seconds, moving level with Chris Froome on four titles, one shy of the record jointly held by Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain and Jacques Anquetil. 'I'm just speechless to win a fourth Tour de France, six years in a row on the podium," the 26-year-old Pogacar said. 'This one feels especially amazing and I'm super proud I can wear this yellow jersey. 'I found myself in the front even though I didn't really have the energy to motivate myself to race today. I was really happy they neutralised the times in the GC, then it was more relaxed to race. I found myself in the front but hats off to Wout, he was incredibly strong.' Pogacar also paid tribute to Vingegaard, his closest challenger, as the pair shared the top two spots on the podium for the fifth Tour in succession. 'We raised the level of each other much higher, and we push each other to limit to try to beat each other. Battling against Jonas was a tough experience but I must say to him, respect and a big, big congratulations for his fight and incredible race.' German Florian Lipowitz finished third overall, some 11 minutes down on Pogacar and one minute 12 seconds ahead of 22-year-old Scot Oscar Onley who has enjoyed a breakout Tour. On the 50th anniversary of the first Champs-Elysees finish, the Tour returned to the French capital after last year's enforced absence due to the Olympics. Race organisers had been inspired by those Games to add the climb to this day and were rewarded with a dramatic finish.
France 24
3 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
Supreme Pogacar wins Tour de France for fourth time
Wout van Aert won the final-day cliffhanger on the cobbled roads of Montmartre, but Pogacar was spared any late challenge when rain forced organisers to neutralise times to avoid potential accidents. Pogacar said he was "speechless" after his victory. Runner-up Jonas Vingegaard was unable to contend with him, but Pogacar winner praised the Dane for having helped him improve over the years. "I spoke to Jonas today. We've been racing each other for five years now and we have raised each other to a higher level," Pogacar said. The 25-year-old Slovenian gamely tried for the stage win anyway before Belgian Van Aert pulled away on the last climb. "Once they neutralised the GC (general classification) times I was relaxed enough and decided to go for the win," said Pogacar. The winner was clearly enjoying himself as he played to the delighted crowds, racing to the head of the peloton near the Moulin Rouge cabaret at the foot of the climb. Despite the rain, spectators packed Montmartre to follow his progress up and down the narrow lanes of the popular tourist spot in his leader's yellow outfit. Van Aert produced a well-timed attack to drop Pogacar and charge to the Champs-Elysees finish line, for his second last-day stage win there. Pogacar was fourth on the day but after wins in 2020, 2021 and 2024, he again proved untouchable in the world's greatest bike race. Vingegaard, the champion in 2022 and 2023, suffered two shocking off-days and ended second overall, 4min 24sec adrift. "We came out fighting in the first week and after stage five I felt I had the legs to win. It was clinched in the second week," Pogacar said at the Paris finish. Breakout German star Florian Lipowitz took third on his debut, rounding out the podium a distant 11 minutes off the pace in third. Turning the screw Defending his title Pogacar, embarked from the start in Lille clear favourite and won four stages along the way. In the first week, he struck on rolling runs in the north and west at Rouen and the Mur de Bretagne. He then turned the screw on the slopes of the Pyrenees on week two with his rivals as good as vanquished. Vingegaard suffered on the stage five time trial, and again in week two at the Hautacam mountain, leaving the Dane in shock as his form abandoned him. In need of a massive turn around in the Alps to overturn a four-minute deficit, Vingegaard was game enough to go all in on stage 18, producing a brave 71km attack as Pogacar sat on his rival's wheel. A barnstorming first week of the Tour revealed a raft of emerging stars. Lipowitz was given a run for his money for third place by 22-year-old Scot Oscar Onley, whose steady ride propelled him to fourth overall. Ireland's Ben Healy bagged a stage win and a two-day stint in the yellow jersey. Adding a heroic near-miss on Mont Ventoux was enough to earn Healy the prize for combativity, voted for by the public. The return of Dave Brailsford from his role at Manchester United to Ineos Grenadiers was overshadowed by the team's Italian powerhouse Filippo Ganna falling early on stage one. He was withdrawn due to concussion. Having previously masterminded seven Tour de France wins, Brailsford dug in and the team's Dutch climber Thymen Arensman pulled off heists in the Pyrenees and the Alps with well-executed attacks to win two stages. Another Dutch rider, Mathieu van der Poel, lit up the first week, sealing a stage two win and twice wearing the yellow jersey. France's sole and unexpected stage win came on the lunar-like summit of Mont Ventoux thanks to Valentin Paret-Peintre. The 2025 Tour, however, will be remembered mainly for Pogacar's all-round dominance.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pogacar underlines greatness with fourth Tour triumph
Tadej Pogacar has claimed his fourth Tour de France title, cementing his status as the most dominant rider of his generation and joining Britain's Chris Froome on the all-time winners' list. 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, and 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. BACK-TO-BACK POGI 🏆Tour de France 2025 winner 💛#TDF2025 🖼️ @maximelth — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 27, 2025 The competitive element was largely neutralised on Sunday after organisers decided to freeze the times with about 50km 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 under-25 rider. "This was one of the hardest Tours I've ever been in," Pogacar said. La beauté, l'effort, la ferveur : c'est la France !Bravo à @TamauPogi pour cette quatrième victoire du Tour. Un Tour de France s'achève, un autre a déjà commencé : bonne route et bonne chance à toutes les coureuses. — Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) July 27, 2025 Celebrations turned tense when the final stage featured three climbs up Montmartre. Times had been neutralised some 50km 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. Australia's Ben O'Connor, of Team Jayco-AlUla, was 11th in the final general classification, with compatriot Callum Scotson 33rd. Harrison Sweeny was two places further back with Michael Storer 42nd. Kaden Groves, a dramatic winner of the penultimate stage on Saturday, came in 86th.
BreakingNews.ie
3 days ago
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Tadej Pogacar wins fourth Tour de France title as Wout van Aert takes last stage
Tadej Pogacar celebrated his fourth Tour de France title in Paris but was denied what would have been a stunning final stage victory as Wout van Aert rode away on the wet cobbles of Montmartre to win on the Champs-Elysees. Pogacar looked keen to take what could prove to be a unique opportunity to win in yellow in Paris as the introduction of three ascents of the climb to Montmartre reshaped the usual final day procession, but Van Aert broke clear on the last time up to take the glory. Advertisement Although the general classification times had been neutralised in the soggy conditions, Pogacar still had to finish to secure his title yet was willing to risk it all on the greasy cobbles in pursuit of a fifth stage win of this Tour. The Slovenian attacked each time up the narrow climb to whittle down a leading group to just a handful of riders, but had no response when Van Aert made his move 400 metres from the summit of the final ascent, winning solo by 19 seconds from Davide Ballerini. 'It was a special day out,' said Van Aert, who took his 10th career stage win and first since 2022. 'It is really special to win here on the Champs-Elysees once again and on the first occasion we climbed to Montmartre. 'The rain made it quite sketchy but I managed to stay upright. I had the full support of my team and I really have to thank them, to keep believing in me over and over again… Advertisement 'Going into the last climb, to leave it all out there was our plan and it worked.' Pogacar sat up to safely bring home the yellow jersey and beat his rival Jonas Vingegaard by a final margin of four minutes and 24 seconds, moving level with Chris Froome on four titles, one shy of the record jointly held by Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain and Jacques Anquetil. 'I'm just speechless to win a fourth Tour de France, six years in a row on the podium,' the 26-year-old Pogacar said. 'This one feels especially amazing and I'm super proud I can wear this yellow jersey. 'I found myself in the front even though I didn't really have the energy to motivate myself to race today. I was really happy they neutralised the times in the GC, then it was more relaxed to race. I found myself in the front but hats off to Wout, he was incredibly strong.' Advertisement German Florian Lipowitz finished third overall, some 11 minutes down on Pogacar and one minute 12 seconds ahead of 22-year-old Scot Oscar Onley who has enjoyed a breakout Tour. On the 50th anniversary of the first Champs-Elysees finish, the Tour returned to the French capital after last year's enforced absence due to the Olympics. Race organisers had been inspired by those Games to add the climb to this day and were rewarded with a dramatic finish.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Tour de France - Pogacar begins celebrations as rivals battle for final stage win
Update: Date: 15:50 BST Title: Post Content: Jordan Jegat snatched a spot in the top 10 of the general classification standings yesterday after getting into the breakaway, from which Kaden Groves claimed his first Tour win. Update: Date: 128km to go Title: Post Content: Out at the back of the peloton, the Australian contingent are catching up with each other. It's been a great year for the Aussies, with Ben O'Connor and Kaden Groves both claiming stage wins over the past three days. O'Connor was unable to prevent French rider Jordan Jegat snatching a top-10 GC spot from him yesterday but the Jayco AlUla rider will still be pleased to have ended his four-year wait for a second Tour stage win. Update: Date: 15:38 BST Title: Post Content: After three weeks of thrilling action, the first Tour to be held entirely in France since 2020 will conclude in the capital later. Update: Date: 132km to go Title: Post Content: Flat stage, 132.3km, from Mantes-la-Ville to Champs-Elysees The riders have pretty much gone full gas from the start of each and every stage of this year's Tour, treating many of the flatter stages like one-day classics. But there's none of that today. The stage is under way and Tadej Pogacar is rolling along at the front of the peloton, posing for pictures with his UAE Emirates-XRG team-mates. Back in the bunch, team-mates and rivals are nattering away, having a chuckle as they begin their leisurely ride into Paris. Update: Date: 15:30 BST Title: Stage 21 route guide Content: Flat stage, 132.3km, from Mantes-la-Ville to Champs-Elysees The Tour returns to it's traditional Paris finish after relocating to Nice last year due to the Olympics. However, it does so with a twist, given the cobbled climb up to the Sacre-Coeur Basilica features three times in a throwback to the road race in the 2024 Paris Games. It's a 1.1km ascent at a gradient of 5.9% added to the original finishing circuit in the French capital, designed to whittle down the field before a high-speed finish, albeit possibly without some of the pure sprinters. Update: Date: 15:28 BST Title: General classification before final stage Content: Update: Date: 15:25 BST Title: How it works on the Tour's final stage Content: Tadej Pogacar is more than four minutes clear at the top of the general classification standings. But just to be clear, the Slovenian superstar has not clinched his fourth Tour de France win just yet. He basically just has to stay upright as the final day of the Tour is a processional stage, where traditionally the GC leader is not challenged. Update: Date: 15:20 BST Title: Bonjour Content: And welcome to the final stage of the 2025 Tour de France, when Tadej Pogacar is set to secure his fourth general classification win in cycling's biggest and best race. There is also a prestigious stage win up for grabs on the Champs-Elysees, before this year's jersey winners are paraded in Paris. So sit back and enjoy as we bring you all the action and look back on a thrilling three weeks around France.
