The China Mail - Imperious Pogacar wins Tour de France for fourth time

Wout van Aert won the final-day cliffhanger on the cobbled roads of Montmartre, but Pogacar was spared any late challenge when the weather forced organisers to neutralise times to avoid potential accidents.

However Pogacar more than played his part on the final in a six-man breakaway during a thrilling finale before Belgian Van Aert pulled away on the last climb.

"I was really happy they neutralised the times of the GC (general classification)," Pogacar said. "Then it was more relaxed to race and you just had to have good legs to be in front. I tried but hats off to Wout, he was incredibly strong. It was a really nice race."

Runner-up Jonas Vingegaard was unable to contend with Pogacar, but the winner praised the Dane for having helped him improve over the years.

"I spoke to Jonas today. We've been racing each other for five years now and we have raised each other to a higher level," Pogacar said.

Despite the rain, tens of thousands of spectators packed Montmartre to follow Pogacar's progress up and down the narrow lanes of the popular tourist spot.

He played to the delighted crowds by racing to the head of the peloton near the Moulin Rouge cabaret at the foot of the climb before Van Aert produced a well-timed attack to drop Pogacar and charge to the finish line on the Champs-Elysees avenue.

Pogacar was fourth on the day but after wins in 2020, 2021 and 2024, he again proved untouchable in the world's greatest bike race.

Vingegaard, the champion in 2022 and 2023, suffered two shocking off-days and ended second overall, 4min 24sec adrift.

"We came out fighting in the first week and after stage five I felt I had the legs to win. It was clinched in the second week," Pogacar said.

Breakout German star Florian Lipowitz took third on his debut, rounding out the podium a distant 11 minutes off the pace in third.

- Turning the screw -

Defending his title, Pogacar embarked from the start in Lille as clear favourite and won four stages along the way.

In the first week, he struck on rolling runs in the north and west at Rouen and the Mur de Bretagne.

He then turned the screw on the slopes of the Pyrenees in week two with his rivals as good as vanquished.

Vingegaard suffered on the stage-five time trial, and again in the second week at the Hautacam mountain, leaving the Dane in shock as his form abandoned him.

In need of a massive turn around in the Alps, Pogacar adopted mature tactics and sat on his rival's wheel.

After it was all over, a radiant Pogacar said he could finally relax.

"Everybody has different ideas about how to celebrate. I want some peace and beautiful weather, enjoying some quiet days at home," he said.

- Emerging stars -

A barnstorming first week of the Tour revealed a raft of emerging stars.

Lipowitz was given a run for his money for third place by 22-year-old Scot Oscar Onley, whose steady ride propelled him to fourth overall.

The pair came first and second in the white jersey battle for the best under-25 rider adding hopes of a new rivalry on the race.

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

Adding a heroic near-miss on Mont Ventoux was enough to earn Healy the prize for combativity, voted for by the public.

The return of Dave Brailsford from his role at Manchester United to Ineos Grenadiers was overshadowed by the team's Italian powerhouse Filippo Ganna falling early on stage one. He was withdrawn due to concussion.

Having previously masterminded seven overall Tour de France wins, Brailsford dug in and the team's Dutch climber Thymen Arensman pulled off heists in the Pyrenees and the Alps to win two stages.

France's sole and unexpected stage win came on the lunar-like summit of Mont Ventoux when Valentin Paret-Peintre won an enthralling war of attrition with Healy.

The 2025 Tour though will be remembered for Pogacar's all-round dominance, where he adopted a more measured approach.

A.Sun--ThChM