A dominant three weeks
Tadej Pogacar has won the Tour de France for the fifth time, matching the record for the most victories in the race's history. The 27-year-old Slovenian sealed the title on Sunday after the final stage in Paris, finishing 6 minutes 26 seconds ahead of Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel in the overall standings.
The numbers behind the win are remarkable. Pogacar took five stage victories during the three-week race and set record times on legendary climbs in both the Pyrenees and the Alps. He might have won a sixth stage, but he chose to let a teammate take the win on stage two. His overall time also set a new record for the fastest Tour de France ever ridden.
Joining cycling's exclusive club
With the victory, Pogacar joins Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain as the only riders to win the Tour five times. He is also the youngest to reach that mark, taking the record from Merckx.
Pogacar has now entered the Tour seven times and finished on the podium every single time. He was second in 2022 and 2023, and first in the other five editions. No other rider in the modern era has been that consistent at the top of the sport.
Van der Poel steals the final day
The last stage in Paris belonged to Mathieu van der Poel. The Dutch rider broke clear with Pogacar on the final climb of the Butte de Montmartre and then held off the chasing sprinters by a tire's width on the Champs-Elysees. It was his second stage win of the race.
"It was super hard to be up there with the best rider in the world, all my respect for Tadej," van der Poel said. Pogacar, for his part, said he was speechless after the finish. "I've ridden seven Tours already, and I've always finished on the podium. You might think this is a fairytale," he said. "It's incredible for me too."