Tadej Pogacar has carved his name into cycling history by becoming the first rider since 1998 to achieve the prestigious Giro d’Italia and Tour de France double. The Slovenian superstar clinched his third Tour de France title on Sunday, sealing his dominance with a remarkable victory in the final stage, and bringing his stage win tally to six in this year’s race.
Pogacar’s triumph was marked by a commanding performance in the individual time trial from Monaco to Nice. Covering the 33.7-kilometer course in an astonishing 45 minutes and 24 seconds, he left his closest rivals trailing. Defending champion Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark finished second both in the stage and overall, with Belgian Remco Evenepoel taking third place.
“I’m super happy; I cannot describe how happy I am after two hard years in the Tour de France, always some mistakes, and this year, everything to perfection,” Pogacar shared, beaming with joy after his victory.
The 24-year-old did not rest on his laurels despite holding a substantial lead going into the final stage. Instead, he attacked the course with vigor, aiming for yet another stage win. His relentless pursuit of excellence paid off, finishing the Tour with a winning margin of six minutes and 17 seconds over Vingegaard.
In addition to Pogacar’s stellar performance, Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay made history by winning the green jersey for the points classification, while Richard Carapaz of Ecuador claimed the polka dot jersey for the mountains classification. Remco Evenepoel secured the white jersey as the best young rider in his first Tour, finishing 9 minutes and 18 seconds behind Pogacar.
The race concluded outside Paris for the first time in its 121-year history due to the upcoming Olympic Games, ending with a time trial—a finale not seen since 1989. While the dramatic last-minute shifts of the past were absent, Pogacar’s emphatic lead and consistent domination throughout the Tour left no doubt about his superiority.
Pogacar’s achievement marks only the eighth time a rider has completed the Giro/Tour double, solidifying his status as one of the sport’s greats. Reflecting on his victory, he said, “I think this is the first Grand Tour where I was totally confident every day, even in the Giro I remember I had one bad day I won’t tell which one. This year’s Tour de France was just amazing, and I was enjoying it since day one until today.”
As the cycling world celebrates this monumental achievement, fans eagerly anticipate what the future holds for Pogacar, a rider who continues to redefine excellence in the sport.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
