Tadej Pogacar cemented his place in cycling history on Sunday, securing his fifth overall victory in the Tour de France on the iconic Champs Élysées. The 27-year-old Slovene now stands alongside Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Induráin as a five-time winner, achieving the milestone as the youngest and fastest rider to do so. His triumph concluded with a thrilling final stage won by Matthieu van der Poel.
Pogacar's dominance throughout his Tour de France career is underscored by remarkable statistics. Across his five victories, spanning 16,911 kilometres, he has spent nearly 9,500 kilometres in the yellow jersey. This includes taking the lead on the penultimate day of his inaugural Tour win in 2020. He completed his five wins in just under 404 hours of racing, significantly faster than Anquetil's nearly 613 hours, and boasts an average speed of 41.99km/h – the fastest among all five-time champions. These figures, while reflecting advancements in technology and athlete ability, also highlight his exceptional talent.
The cycling world has reacted with awe to Pogacar's achievements. French media lauded his success, with L'Equipe welcoming him to the "club of five" and Le Figaro describing him as "untouchable, implacable and unbending." His career record is nearing completion, with only Paris-Roubaix and the Vuelta a España, which commences in Monaco on 22 August, still absent from his impressive list of victories. His mother, Marjeta, hinted at a long career, suggesting he could continue at his current level for "maybe 10 years."
While Pogacar and his UAE Emirates XRG team thrived, securing approximately £712,000 in prize money and seeing Isaac del Toro join Pogacar on the Paris podium in third place, other teams faced a tougher Tour. The Picnic PostNL team, for instance, received a comparatively modest €12,770. French cyclists had a mixed experience; for only the third time, there were no home stage wins, yet three French riders – Paul Seixas, Lenny Martinez, and Jordan Jegat – finished within the top 10.
Nineteen-year-old Paul Seixas, who finished fourth despite recovering from a June crash and a cold, expressed both disappointment and motivation. "I'd hoped to make the podium in Paris as there wasn't much between me and Del Toro," Seixas stated, adding, "But between myself and Pogacar, it's a world apart. It's motivating and inspiring. It will make me work harder. I've a concrete vision of what I need to do, to get closer to my dream of winning the Tour." Meanwhile, speculation surrounds Pogacar's expected participation in the Vuelta and the future plans of his rival Jonas Vingegaard, who crashed out of the Tour.