Paris: Pogacar secures fifth Tour de France victory
Tadej Pogacar, the 27-year-old Slovenian cyclist, has secured his fifth overall victory at the Tour de France, crossing the finish line on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. This achievement places him alongside cycling legends Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Induráin as a five-time winner of the endurance event. His latest win marks his third consecutive Tour de France title.
The final stage in Paris saw Mathieu van der Poel of the Netherlands claim victory in a sprint finish on the city’s cobbled streets. Van der Poel, riding for Alpecin-Premier Tech, edged out his teammate Jasper Philipsen. The stage, typically a ceremonial flat sprint for overall contenders, featured a circuit over Montmartre hill, which encouraged more powerful riders to compete for the stage win.
Pogacar’s dominance throughout the race was evident. He spent nearly 9,500km in the yellow jersey across his five victories, an extraordinary feat given he only took the lead in his first Tour win in 2020 on the penultimate day. He is also the youngest of the five-time winners and completed his successes in just under 404 hours of racing, significantly faster than Anquetil’s nearly 613 hours. His average speed of 41.99kmh surpasses that of any other five-time winner, and he has secured more mountain stage victories.
Team Success and Emerging Talents
Pogacar’s team, UAE Emirates XRG, also had a successful Tour, earning €832,750 in prize money. His teammate, Isaac del Toro, finished third overall, joining Pogacar on the Paris podium and securing the white jersey for the best young rider. Del Toro’s performance was aided by Pogacar, who at times sacrificed his own potential stage victories to help consolidate Del Toro’s position, notably on the ‘queen’ stage to Alpe d’Huez.
French cyclists experienced a mixed Tour. While there were no home stage wins for only the third time, three French riders finished in the top 10: Paul Seixas, Lenny Martinez, and Jordan Jegat. Seixas, a 19-year-old rider, finished fourth in the general classification despite starting the Tour recovering from a June crash and a cold. He expressed disappointment at missing the podium but found motivation in the experience, acknowledging the significant gap between himself and Pogacar.
The Tour de France also saw other jersey winners. Richard Carapaz of Ecuador, riding for EF Education-Easypost, claimed the king of the mountains’ polka dot jersey after strong performances in the later stages, including winning stage 18 and stage 20. Denmark’s Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek secured the green points jersey, demonstrating tenacity on climbs and winning stage four.
Records Broken and Future Outlook
This year’s Tour de France was the fastest in the race’s history, averaging 43.326kph over its 3,321km, surpassing the previous fastest average set last year. Pogacar himself broke several records, including Marco Pantani’s Alpe d’Huez climbing time, covering the 13.8km in 35 minutes and 27 seconds, over a minute faster than Pantani’s 1995 ascent. He also set a new record for the Col du Tourmalet.
The increased speeds in the peloton are attributed to several factors, including advancements in bicycle technology, equipment, and athlete ability. Improvements in aerodynamics, tire pressure, helmet design, and fabric for cycling kits have all contributed. Additionally, enhanced training systems and nutrition have played a significant role in riders’ progress. The aggressive, attacking style of the modern peloton also contributes to the high pace.
The future plans for Pogacar’s rival, Jonas Vingegaard, who crashed out of the Tour, remain uncertain. Both Pogacar and Vingegaard were subjected to nocturnal doping controls by the International Testing Agency, which sparked speculation, though no results have been released. Pogacar is expected to confirm his participation in the Vuelta a España, which is scheduled to begin in Monaco on 22 August.
Other notable performances included Remco Evenepoel of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgohe, who finished second overall, 6 minutes and 26 seconds behind Pogacar. Tom Pidcock, riding for Pinarello-Q36.5, finished ninth in the general classification, building on his third-place finish in last year’s Vuelta a España. His former team, now known as Netcompany Ineos Cycling, did not record a stage victory in 21 attempts this year.
Source: theguardian.com
Nathan Crowley is the Sports News Writer at NewsUK, covering rugby union, golf and boxing with six years of reporting experience. He moved from regional newspapers into digital sport. He holds a degree in Journalism from Cardiff University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Cardiff, he plays amateur rugby and follows the Six Nations closely. “Speed and accuracy are not a trade-off in sport news.”
