Tadej Pogačar shows unrivaled
audacity to win his fourth Tour de France title in style
[July 28, 2025]
By JEROME PUGMIRE
PARIS (AP) — The roads were dangerously slippery after heavy rain. A
fourth Tour de France title was all but won anyway, so finishing
safely in the pack would do fine for Tadej Pogačar. Especially
considering Sunday's final stage had already been neutralized for
safety reasons and he just had to complete the race.
Surely there was no need to launch a seemingly pointless attack and
risk crashing?
But holding back or being cautious rarely appeals to Pogačar, the
26-year-old cycling star from Slovenia. He clinched his fourth Tour
title in inimitably daring style on Sunday and further cemented his
place among cycling's greats.
Even though he really did not need to, and risked falling on oil
slick-wet roads, Pogačar simply could not help himself. Against all
logical opinion, he tried winning Sunday’s 21st and final stage with
trademark uphill attacks, only to fall short of the stage win
itself.
“In the end I found myself in the front, even though I didn’t have
the energy,” said Pogačar, who won the Tour last year and in 2020
and 2021.
“Just speechless to win the Tour de France, this one feels
especially amazing," Pogačar added. “Just super proud that I can
wear this yellow jersey.”
Two-time Tour champion Jonas Vinegaard finished the overall race 4
minutes, 24 seconds behind Pogačar in second place and Florian
Lipowitz was 11 minutes adrift in third.
Belgian rider Wout van Aert won the 21st and last stage, which broke
with tradition and featured three climbs of Montmartre hill.
Because of heavy rain and the risk of crashes, organizers had
earlier neutralized the times 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the end,
effectively giving Pogačar the victory — providing he crossed the
finish line.
He did the opposite of what almost every rider would do with victory
a near certainty.
As the rain teemed down, he set a tremendous pace in the Montmartre
climbs as fans cheered all along the cobbled Rue Lepic, with flags
and fans hanging out of windows.
Only five riders were left with Pogačar on the third ascension of
the 1.1-kilometer Montmartre hill.
After fending off American Matteo Jorgenson, he was caught cold near
the top as Van Aert launched a stunning attack to drop — yes, drop!
— Pogačar, the world’s best climber, on the steepest section.
“Hats off to Wout, he was incredibly strong," Pogačar said.
Van Aert rolled back down for a prestigious stage win on the famed
Champs-Élysées. Pogačar looked weary as he crossed the line in
fourth place, 19 seconds behind.
‘Peace and some nice weather’
But then it was time to celebrate title No. 4. Although don't expect
Pogačar to make any headlines on that front.
“Everyone celebrates in their own way, I just want peace and some
nice weather, not like here today," Pogačar said. "Just to enjoy
some quiet days at home.”
Only four riders have won the showcase race five times: Belgian Eddy
Merckx, Spaniard Miguel Induráin and Frenchmen Jacques Anquetil and
Bernard Hinault.
Pogačar won four stages this year to take his Tour tally to 21 and
30 at major races, including six at the Giro d’Italia and three at
the Spanish Vuelta.
The UAE Team Emirates leader praised his teammates.
“I think the second week was the decisive moment," Pogačar said. “We
took more advantage.”
Lipowitz, meanwhile, secured his first career podium at a Grand
Tour, the alternative name given to the three major races.
[to top of second column] |
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, the Tour de France winner, is greeted by
his partner Urska Zigart after finishing, the twenty-first stage of
the Tour de France cycling race over 132.3 kilometers (82.1 miles)
with start in Mantes-la-Ville and finish on the Champs-Elysees in
Paris, France, Sunday, July 27, 2025. (Yoan Valat, Pool Photo via
AP)
His performance, following his third-placed finish last month at the
Critérium du Dauphiné, suggests the 24-year-old German rider could
challenge in the near future.
Breaking with tradition
Traditionally, the last stage is largely processional with riders
doing laps around Paris. The Tour broke with tradition after the
success of the Paris Olympics road race, which also took in
Montmartre, famous for its Sacré-Coeur basilica.
Five in a row
It was the fifth straight year where Pogačar and Vingegaard finished
1-2 at the Tour.
Vingegaard was second in 2021, before beating Pogačar the next two
years with the Slovenian second. When Pogačar reclaimed his title
last year, Vingegaard was runner-up.
“We’ve raised the level of each other much higher and we push each
other to the limit," Pogačar said. “I must say to him, big, big
respect.”
Five major titles
Pogačar has also won the Giro d’Italia, doing so last year to become
the first cyclist to secure the Giro and Tour double in the same
season since the late Marco Pantani in 1998.
But Pogačar has not yet won the Spanish Vuelta, whereas Anquetil,
Hinault and Merckx won all three major races.
A century of success
When Pogačar won the hilly fourth stage of this year’s race, it was
the 100th professional victory of his stellar career, all events
combined.
Pogačar is also the world road race champion.
His dominant victory at the Critérium continued his excellent form
the spring classics.
After winning stage 4 of the Tour, Pogačar added three more stage
wins, including an emphatic uphill time trial.
What’s left to win?
He would love to win the Paris-Roubaix classic and Milan San-Remo.
The 259.2-kilometer (161-mile) Roubaix race is called “The Hell of
the North” because of its dangerous cobblestone sections.
Pogačar debut appearance at the one-day classic this year saw him
seeking to become the first Tour champion to win it since Hinault in
1981. But powerful Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel won it for the
third straight year.
Pogačar has also yet to win Milan-San Remo, with Van der Poel also
beating him there this year.
Expect a fired-up Pogačar next year at Roubaix and Milan-San Remo.
But it’s unsure whether he’ll tackle the Vuelta.
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