Watch VideoTadej Pogačar claims historic fifth Tour de France title as Mathieu van der Poel wins final stage

Tadej Pogacar claimed a record-equalling fifth Tour de France title as Mathieu van der Poel won a sensational 21st and final stage around Paris on Sunday. Photo: AFP Tadej Pogačarclaimed his record-equalling fifthTour de Francetitle as Mathieu van der Poel won a sensational 21st and final stage around Paris on Sunday. Two-time world champion Pogačar joined Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain as the most successful riders in Tour history.

Pogačar had all but secured his historic title during the previous two mountain stages that finished on the iconic Alpe d’Huez climb. The 27-year-old Slovenian won five stages and had been in yellow since his victory on the Pyrenean sixth stage. He now has 26 stage victories in total, putting him fourth on the all-time list behind only Mark Cavendish (35), Merckx (34) and Hinault (28).

He also surpassed both Indurain and Chris Froome for total days spent in yellow with 70, trailing now only Hinault (75) and Merckx (96). He is the youngest rider to have won five Tours, more than a year younger than Merckx was when achieving the same feat, and is the first person to finish on the podium seven years running. He is also the only rider to have been on the podium in nine consecutive Grand Tours.

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The Slovenian played his part in a stunning final stage, which was shortened to 88.7km due to wildfires raging in the south-west. Van der Poel and Pogačar escaped together on the final climb up Montmartre with 10km to ride and then fought to the finish with a chasing group of sprinters closing in. As Pogačar’s strength sapped inside the last 700m, and with the chasers just seconds behind, Van der Poel struck out alone.

The cobbled classics specialist held on to win by half a wheel length in a photo finish from his Alpecin–Premier Tech teammate Jasper Philipsen, with Mads Pedersen in third. It was Van der Poel’s second stage victory in the 113th edition of the Tour and his fourth in total. Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel finished second overall, almost six and a half minutes back, with Mexican Isaac Del Toro in third.

It was a successful Tour for Dane Pedersen, who won the sprinters’ green jersey competition. Richard Carapaz of Ecuador triumphed in the polka dot King of the Mountains jersey category, while Del Toro took home the best young rider’s white jersey. Carapaz, who won two mountain stages, was also voted the Tour’s most combative rider.

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