PARIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia claimed his second straight and fourth career Tour de France championship on Sunday in rain-soaked Paris.
Pogacar, who also won in 2020 and 2021, became the sixth man to win the world’s most prestigious cycling competition at least four times.
The 26-year-old joined France’s Jacques Anquetil (five) and Bernard Hinault (five), Belgium’s Eddy Merckx (five), Spain’s Miguel Indurain (five) and Britain’s Chris Froome (four).
Pogacar finished four minutes and 24 seconds ahead of rival Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark, the race winner in 2022 and 2023. Germany’s Florian Lipowitz was third, 11 minutes behind.
Belgium’s Wout Van Aert was the first across the Stage 21 finish line in the French capital, collecting his 10th career stage win in the Tour de France.
Due to hazardous conditions and the threat of crashes on the slippery streets, race organizers announced about 50 kilometers into Sunday’s 132.3-kilometer trek from Nantua that all times would be frozen with 50 kilometers to go.
The change all but guaranteed victory for Pogacar, although he still had to finish the race to be declared the winner.
–Field Level Media