castanet
Tadej Pogacar confirms status as a cycling great with record-equaling fifth Tour de France title Wins his 5th Tour de France Tadej Pogacar confirmed his status as one of cycling's all-time greats after winning a record-equaling fifth Tour de France title in emphatic style.
Daring mountain attacks from deep, multiple stage wins and an ice-cool temperament all helped the 27-year-old Slovenian seal his victory on Sunday.
He joined Belgian Eddy Merckx, Spaniard Miguel Indurain and Frenchmen Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault as the only riders to win five Tours.
Im speechless.
Its an incredible day, there was an incredible atmosphere," Pogacar said.
Ive ridden seven Tours already and Ive always finished on the podium.
You might think this is a fairytale, its incredible for me too.
After competing strongly in Sundays 21st and exciting final stage in Paris, Pogacar finished 6 minutes, 26 seconds ahead of Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel in the overall standings.
Two-time Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard was Pogacars main rival heading into the race but the Dane crashed out on the 15th stage.
Shame that Jonas and others crashed out of this Tour, Pogacar said.
I hope we can all fight again next year." Pogacars UAE Team Emirates XRG teammate Isaac Del Toro, a 22-year-old Mexican making his Tour debut, was third at 9:42 back from Pogacar, who smiled and held up his hand to signify his wins.
His teammates then joined him as they stood proudly on the Champs-Elysees.
I dont know how I do it, Pogacar said.
I now have to find a new goal to chase.
Which goal? Lets just not jump ahead of ourselves, and enjoy this moment.
Pogacar won the Giro dItalia in 2024 but has not won the Spanish Vuelta, which starts on Aug.
22.
Will I be at La Vuelta in a few weeks? he said.
Lets see.
Peerless Pogacar Pogacar won five stages at this years race to take his impressive tally to 26 overall.
He tried to win on Sunday, too, but victory ultimately went to Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel, who just held off the chasing pack on the home straight for his second stage win at this year's race and fourth overall.
Sundays 88.7-kilometer (55-mile) stage looped around Paris and was mostly processional, although less so than in previous years, which were usually entirely flat stages for sprinters and not for the rest of the peloton.
The stage was shortened from 133 kilometers and its starting point in Thoiry, west of the capital, was changed to Paris so as to reduce pressure on emergency services combating wildfires in the southwest.
Some security forces initially mobilized for Paris were redeployed to help response efforts.
For the second straight year the stage featured the hugely popular uphill climb through the Montmartre district, a sharp 1-kilometer dash which riders tackled three times before finishing on the Champs-Elysees.
It proved even too much for Pogacar, who could not match Van der Poel's raw power in the closing stages.
Shortly before 6 p.m.
local time, Pogacar shook hands at the start line with Evenepoel and Ecuadorian veteran Richard Carapaz, wearing the polka-dot jersey for the best climber.
I battled hard to win this jersey, it was a great fight, the 33-year-old Carapaz said.
Its the best feeling to win it.
Exciting finale Van der Poel and Dane Mads Pedersen, the green jersey winner as best sprinter, were among the expected contenders for the stage win.
Crowds roared as the riders began the first climb up Rue Lepic in Montmartre, with the famed Sacre-Coeur basilica looming over them.
Pogacar moved ahead after the second ascension of Montmartre, with Van der Poel, Evenepoel and Pedersen alongside him.
Van der Poel attacked on the third and final climb with Pogacar responding well, and the one-day classics rivals surged ahead.
But they were caught with 700 meters left and, after Pogacar faded, the 31-year-old Van der Poel still had work to do.
He got his bike just over the line ahead of Belgian Jasper Philipsen, his Alpecin-Premier Tech teammate, and Pedersen.
Pogacar eased up and finished 30th.
I thought the sprinters would catch us up so I launched (my attack) from very far away, Van der Poel said.
I gave everything I had left in my legs and it was just enough.
Cycling pedigree Van der Poel is widely considered one of the best cyclists in the world.
He has multiple victories in one-day classics and Cyclo-cross world championship titles, and is also a former world road race champion.
His father Adri van der Poel won two stages on the Tour in the late 1980s.
His maternal grandfather was French cyclist Raymond Poulidor, who raced in the 1960s and 70s, finishing second on the Tour three times and third five times.
Nicknamed Poupou and The Eternal Runner-up, he was adored by French fans.
Womens Tour The nine-stage womens Tour starts in the Swiss city of Lausanne on Aug.
1 and finishes in Nice on Aug 9.
More Sports News - Conservatives ask for a planCanada - 7:30 pm - Wins his 5th Tour de FranceSports - 7:28 pm - Vancouver Whitecaps factsVancouver - 6:30 pm - Small wildfire now heldWest Kelowna - 6:01 pm - Festival comes to closeKamloops - 6:00 pm UBCO Athletics HOCKEY - Kelowna Rockets - West Kelowna Warriors - Penticton Vees - Vernon Vipers - Kelowna Chiefs - Kelowna Minor Hockey - West Kelowna Minor Hockey - Penticton Minor Hockey - Vernon Minor Hockey - Winfield Minor Hockey - Pacific Adult Hockey League - Kelowna Ball Hockey League - Field Hockey Okanagan - Okanagan Rockets - Kelowna Heat Spring Hockey - Okanagan Jr Warriors - Canadian Hockey Enterprises - Okanagan Hockey Group - The Rink - Canadian Sport School Hockey League - BCHL | KIJHL | WHL | NHL BASKETBALL SOCCER - Kelowna Women's Soccer - Kelowna Men's Soccer - Kelowna United FC - Central Okanagan Youth - Kelowna Youth Soccer - Westside Youth Soccer - Rutland Youth Soccer - Lake Country Youth Soccer - Penticton Soccer Club - Pinnacles Soccer - Thompson Okanagan Football Club - Pacific Adult Soccer League - CSA | FIFA | MLS RACING [+] BASEBALL [+] FOOTBALL [+] RUGBY [+] GOLF [+] SKI/SKATE [+] LACROSSE [+] CURLING [+] SWIMMING - Kelowna AquaJets - Liquid Lightning Swim Club - Ogopogo Summer Swim Club - Okanagan Masters Swim Club - KISU Swim Club - Kelowna Dolphins Synchronized Swimming Club - N.O.
Tempest Tigers Summer Swim Club - Kelowna Water Polo Club RACQUET - Kelowna Badminton Club - The Penticton Yacht & Tennis - OK Mission Tennis - Lake Country Tennis - Lakeview Heights Tennis - Vernon Tennis Association - Squash BC Okanagan League - ESPN Tennis - Kelowna Junior Racquetball - Pickleball Kelowna - Kamloops Cricket Club MISC.
[+].