The China Mail - Pogacar leads peloton into Paris for Tour de France climax

The final day normally culminates with a parade into the French capital and a sprint on the famed Champs-Elysees avenue.

But for the first time organisers are sending the race through the narrow cobbled lanes of the north Parisian neighbourhood of Montmartre, in a nod to the route used to much fanfare for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The detour could well provoke a long-range attack and champion-in-waiting Pogacar said he may target the stage win from there.

"We'll see what happens and how the legs are," the Slovenian said after Saturday's stage.

The 21st and final stage, a 132km ride from Mantes-la-Ville to the Champs-Elysees, features three ascents of Montmartre where droves of fans are expected to crown a vintage edition of the sport's most prestigious cycling stage race.

Barring a final-day fall, the top three places on this Tour were fixed on two ascents to Alpine ski resorts, where Pogacar shook off any final resistance from Danish rival Jonas Vingegaard, who put up a brave challenge before fading to second for Team Visma.

But this Tour has not just been about the rivalry between Pogacar, a Tour winner in 2020, 2021 and 2024, and Vingegaard, victor in 2022 and 2023.

- Emerging stars -

A barnstorming first week of racing unveiled a raft of emerging stars.

Florian Lipowitz, 24, sits in third place to put Germany back on the map as Red Bull's arrival in the world of professional cycling immediately impacted the Tour.

Lipowitz was given a run for his money by 22-year-old Scot Oscar Onley, whose steady ride propelled him to fourth overall. Five of his Picnic–PostNL teammates hail from the same youth team.

Ireland's Ben Healy bagged a stage win and a two-day stint in the yellow jersey.

A heroic near miss on Mont Ventoux should be enough to earn Healy the publicly voted-for prize for combativity.

The return of Dave Brailsford from Manchester United to Ineos Grenadiers was overshadowed by Italian powerhouse Filippo Ganna falling early on stage one and being withdrawn due to concussion.

Having previously masterminded seven Tour de France wins, Brailsford dug in and the team's Dutch climber Thymen Arensman pulled off heists in the Pyrenees and the Alps with well-executed attacks.

Another Dutch rider, Mathieu van der Poel, lit up the first week, sealing a stage two win and twice wearing the yellow jersey.

France's sole and unexpected stage win came on the lunar-like summit of Mont Ventoux thanks to Valentin Paret-Peintre.

The 2025 Tour, however, will be remembered mainly for Pogacar's all-round dominance.

He won stages on rolling runs in the north and west at Rouen and the Mur de Bretagne in the first week, then on the mountain slopes of the Pyrenees on the Hautacam and Peyragudes in week two.

As the Tour entered its end game Pogacar unexpectedly switched his attacking default setting to nurse his lead through the Alps.

Vingegaard had two off days, first on a long time trial and secondly at the Hautacam slog. It was enough for Pogacar to assert himself and never look back.

K.Lam--ThChM