A dominant ride through France
Tadej Pogacar won his fifth Tour de France title on Sunday, matching the record for the most wins in the race's history. The Slovenian rider finished the three-week race with a commanding lead in the general classification. He won multiple mountain stages and wore the yellow jersey from the second week. No rider in the modern era has controlled a Tour the way Pogacar did this year.
The victory adds to a career that already includes dozens of stage wins and one-day classics. At 27, he is in the middle of his prime years. His team said the plan all season was to peak for July, and it worked.
The defining moments
The race turned in the Alps. Pogacar attacked on the first big mountain stage and never looked back. His rivals tried to answer, but none could hold his pace on the steep climbs. He also won the time trial in the final week, adding to his collection of stage victories. His team controlled the flat stages and protected him from crashes and crosswinds.
One stage in the Pyrenees nearly went wrong when a crash split the peloton, but Pogacar stayed out of trouble. He gained time on every major climb in the final week and sealed the win with a long solo attack on the last mountain stage.
What the record means
The victory places Pogacar alongside the greatest names in cycling. He has now won five Tours, two world championships, and dozens of classics. Many expect him to break the record outright in the coming years. After the race, Pogacar said he plans to rest before targeting the world championships in the fall. His rivals will spend the winter looking for answers to the gap he opened this July.