Tadej Pogačar blasted his way to a fourth Tour de France victory on Sunday, besting rival Jonas Vingegaard by 4:24 across the famed Champs-Élysées finish line.
Billed as a clash between two titans, this year’s race was filled with ghosts of Pogačar’s past, including the Hautacam, Mont Ventoux and the Col de la Loze climbs, where he had lost significant time in previous Tours to Vingegaard.
This year, Pogačar, of UAE Team Emirates XRG, conquered them all.
“Just speechless to win the Tour de France. This one feels especially amazing,” he said. “Just super proud that I can wear this yellow jersey.”
Vingegaard, of Denmark, suffered significant time losses early in the race beginning with his botched performance during the Stage 5 time trial. He crossed the finish 1:20 behind Pogačar, who continued to build a steady time gap that eventually became too large for Vingegaard to overcome.
Despite launching attack after attack and maintaining an upbeat attitude during interviews, Vingegaard, of Visma–Lease a Bike, proved to be a mere mortal compared to Pogačar’s superhuman prowess.
“Battling against Jonas was a tough experience, but I must say to him, respect and big, big congratulations to him for his fight and incredible race,” Pogačar said.
As of Sunday, two-time Tour winner Vingegaard has finished runner-up to Pogačar three times. He will next take on the Vuelta a España, Spain’s grand tour, in August.
His teammate, Belgian rider Wout van Aert, won Sunday’s rainy stage, which featured three climbs around Montmartre instead of the traditional ceremonial ride into Paris. Van Aert stunned onlookers in the last kilometer around the hill, known for its artistic history and the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, as he dropped Pogačar in a final attack on the steepest section.
“We came to this tour with ambition to also win the yellow jersey, but the strongest rider in the race and biggest rider on the road won,” said van Aert. “I’m proud of how we raced as a team, how we kept trying every day.”
German climber Florian Lipowitz, of Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe, finished third in the general classification, coming in 11:09 behind Pogačar and taking home the white jersey for best young rider. His podium finish is all the more impressive considering this was his Tour debut. He was meant to be riding in a supportive role for teammate and Tour veteran Primož Roglič from Slovenia.
But in the end, Lipowitz, who is 11 years younger than 35-year-old Roglič, emerged as the stronger rider. And Roglič, who has crashed out of several grand tours in recent years, appeared happy to just finish the race.
Indeed, this year’s Tour was filled with unforgettable performances by the next generation of emerging talent.
Few people could have predicted the rise of Irish climber Ben Healy, who wore the yellow jersey for two days early in the race after launching strong attacks based purely on instinct. His team, EF Education-EasyPost, came into the race without its team leader, Richard Carapaz, but Healy quickly stepped into the role. He took the Stage 6 win and was awarded with the Tour’s “Super Combative” prize for what his team described as “exploits” on the road.
“It is one thing to achieve what you set out to achieve; it is another to do it with a smile,” team sports director Charly Wegelius said in a statement.
Italian sprinter Jonathan Milan, of Lidl–Trek, dominated in the green jersey for much of his Tour debut. The contest for points classification appeared to open in Stage 3 when the reigning champion, Jasper Philipsen, of Alpecin–Deceuninck, was thrown over his handlebars during an intermediate sprint. The Belgian fastman was forced to abandon with a fractured collarbone and at least one broken rib.
Milan and teammate Quinn Simmons, from Durango, Colorado, soon began a relentless campaign to best the remaining sprinters and succeeded. Simmons, donning his iconic handlebar mustache and American flag road champion’s jersey, was seen at the front of the peloton nearly every day for three weeks. He proved to be the perfect lead-out man for Milan, who wouldn’t let rain or crashes slow him down.
In the end, Milan edged out Pogačar in the final points classification and Simmons proposed to his girlfriend — she said yes! — after crossing the finish line.
