Pogacar claims record-equalling fifth Tour de France title as Vingegaard withdraws
Mathieu van der Poel wins final Paris stage while teenager Seixas secures fourth place in general classification
Tadej Pogacar has secured his fifth Tour de France title, matching the record held by Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain. The 27-year-old Slovenian rider cemented his place in cycling history on Sunday, becoming only the fifth man in the race’s long history to claim the yellow jersey five times. His victory follows the withdrawal of his primary rival, two-time champion Jonas Vingegaard, who crashed out during stage 15.
The race dynamics shifted significantly on stage 15 at the Plateau de Solaison, where Vingegaard was involved in a crash in a roundabout approximately 20 kilometres from the finish. The incident also took down several Visma-Lease a Bike teammates and Mexican rider Isaac del Toro. Vingegaard was treated for a right arm injury and transported by ambulance before withdrawing from the race, leaving Pogacar to consolidate his lead in the general classification.
Prior to the final stage, both Pogacar and Vingegaard had undergone anti-doping tests in the early hours of the morning. Pogacar entered the final day with five stage wins from this year’s race and 26 overall career stage victories. His recent form has been dominant, including wins at the Tour de Suisse and Tour de Romandie, alongside several one-day classics.
The 21st and final stage featured an 88.7-kilometre loop around Paris, which again included the popular uphill climb through the Montmartre district. Riders tackled the sharp 1-kilometre dash three times before finishing on the Champs-Élysées. Mathieu van der Poel won the final stage, while teenager Seixas secured a fourth-place finish in the overall general classification.
Despite the milestone victory, Pogacar has yet to complete the set of Grand Tour titles. He won the Giro d’Italia by a significant margin in 2024, but unlike Vingegaard and Merckx, he has not yet won the Vuelta a España. The result marks a pivotal moment in the sport, with Pogacar now sharing the record for most Tour de France victories with the sport’s most decorated legends.
