Tadej Pogacar seals fourth Tour de France crown as Wout van Aert wins stage 21 with stunning solo attack

Pogacar Clinches Fourth Tour de France Title in Thrilling Finish

Van Aert Steals Show on Wet Cobblestones, Denying Pogacar Parisian Victory

Paris - Tadej Pogacar secured his fourth Tour de France victory, matching Chris Froome's legendary feat, but was denied a stage win on the Champs-Elysees by a dominant Wout van Aert.

The final stage saw a dramatic reshaping of the traditional procession with three ascents of Montmartre adding an unexpected twist to the race. While Pogacar attacked aggressively on each climb, aiming for a historic victory in yellow in Paris, it was Van Aert who seized his opportunity in the finale.

With 400 meters remaining on the final ascent, Van Aert launched a decisive attack, leaving the field behind and crossing the finish line 19 seconds ahead of Davide Ballerini. Pogacar, focused on securing his title, finished safely to solidify his victory, beating Jonas Vingegaard by four minutes and 24 seconds.

Van Aert's Triumphant Return

"It was a special day," said Van Aert, who secured his tenth career stage win at the Tour and first since 2022. “It is really special to win here on the Champs-Elysees once again and on the first occasion we climbed to Montmartre. The rain made it quite sketchy but I managed to stay upright. I had the full support of my team and I really have to thank them, to keep believing in me over and over again... Going into the last climb, to leave it all out there was our plan and it worked.”

Pogacar Celebrates Historic Victory

A humbled Pogacar, reflecting on his fourth title win, said: "I'm just speechless to win a fourth Tour de France, six years in a row on the podium. This one feels especially amazing and I'm super proud I can wear this yellow jersey."

"I found myself in the front even though I didn't really have the energy to motivate myself to race today. I was really happy they neutralised the times in the GC, then it was more relaxed to race. I found myself in the front but hats off to Wout, he was incredibly strong.”

Vingegaard: A Worthy Challenger

Pogacar also lauded his rival Vingegaard, praising their intense rivalry and mutual respect. “We raised the level of each other much higher, and we push each other to limit to try to beat each other. Battling against Jonas was a tough experience but I must say to him, respect and a big, big congratulations for his fight and incredible race.”

The Race's Legacy

On the 50th anniversary of the Champs-Elysees finish, the Tour returned to Paris after last year’s Olympic absence. Race organizers' decision to introduce the Montmartre climb proved a masterstroke, culminating in an unforgettable finale for this historic event.