Tour de France 2026: Tadej Pogacar wins fifth Tour as Mathieu van der Poel takes stage 21
Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia has won his fifth Tour de France title, equalling the record for most wins in the event. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider finished the final stage on Paris’ Champs-Elysees in the peloton, joining a select group of cyclists who have achieved five victories in the endurance race. This marks Pogacar’s third consecutive Tour win.
The final stage of the three-week Grand Tour was claimed by the Netherlands’ Mathieu van der Poel of Alpecin-Premier Tech. Van der Poel secured his victory after a charge to the finish line on the cobbled streets of the French capital, narrowly beating his teammate Jasper Philipsen of Belgium.
Pogacar’s Dominance and Record-Equalling Achievement
Pogacar’s latest victory places him among the sport’s most successful male riders, alongside Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain. His performance has led some to consider him one of the greatest cyclists of all time. Pogacar described his achievement as “something you wouldn’t even maybe write in a story book,” noting that he has been on the podium in all seven Tours he has ridden.
His dominant performance included a record-breaking ascent of Alpe d’Huez on stage 19, where he sealed another victory. Pogacar secured five stage wins in this year’s race, utilizing his explosive starts and consistent pace to overcome rivals. He has accumulated 127 wins over an eight-year elite professional career, having won numerous major races including the Tour of Flanders, Giro d’Italia, Milan-San Remo, Road World Championships, Giro di Lombardia, and Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
Despite his success, Pogacar has faced some frustration from fans who perceive his performances as being significantly ahead of his peers, potentially diminishing the competitive aspect of the sport. He finished 6 minutes, 26 seconds ahead of Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel in the overall standings.
Jonas Vingegaard, a two-time Tour champion and Pogacar’s main rival, withdrew from the race after breaking his collarbone on stage 15. Pogacar expressed hope that Vingegaard and other injured riders would recover quickly for future competitions. The International Testing Agency (ITA) conducted anti-doping tests on riders, including Vingegaard and Pogacar, with some tests occurring in the early morning hours.
Pogacar’s teammate, Isaac del Toro, a 22-year-old Mexican making his Tour debut, secured third place overall, 9 minutes, 42 seconds behind Pogacar. Del Toro’s position was aided by Pogacar’s support, including on Saturday’s ‘queen’ stage to Alpe d’Huez, where Pogacar reportedly sacrificed a potential victory to help consolidate Del Toro’s podium spot. Del Toro also claimed the white jersey for the best young rider.
Dramatic Final Stage in Paris
The traditional final stage in Paris, typically a ceremonial ride followed by a flat bunch sprint, saw a change in its route this year. Organizers ASO introduced a circuit that included a cobbled climb over the city’s Montmartre hill, encouraging more powerful riders to contend for the stage win. The stage was also shortened from 133km to 89km due to the redirection of emergency services to assist with wildfires in south-west France.
On Sunday, Mathieu van der Poel, known for his strength in one-day classics, launched an attack with 11km remaining, initially accompanied by Pogacar. The pair led through the narrow streets of Montmartre and past the Sacre-Coeur. Despite Pogacar fading after three weeks of intense racing, Van der Poel managed to maintain his lead, crossing the line just ahead of a rapidly closing chasing pack that included several sprinters.
Van der Poel’s victory on the famous cobbles adds to his list of achievements in major one-day races, including multiple wins in Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders. He described his effort, stating he launched his attack from a considerable distance, giving everything he had to secure the win.
Other notable jersey winners included Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz of EF Education-Easypost, who claimed the king of the mountains’ polka dot jersey after winning stages 18 and 20. Denmark’s Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek was awarded the green points jersey for best sprinter, having won stage four and consistently collecting mid-stage points.
The Tour de France Femmes is scheduled to begin in Lausanne, Switzerland, on August 1 and conclude in Nice on August 9.
Source: bbc.com
