Tour de France - Double perfection: Tadej Pogacar wins 111. Tour de France
In the yellow jersey, Tadej Pogacar once again shone magnificently over the Promenade in Nice and was soon after celebrated in the heart of the Metropolis on the Côte d'Azur for his historic triumph at the 111th Tour de France.
The 25-year-old cycling superstar celebrated his third overall victory in the three-week Grand Tour. The winner of the Giro d'Italia achieved the rare Double Success from both Grand Tour wins for the first time since Marco Pantani did it 26 years ago. Only seven riders had managed this before, including cycling legend Eddy Merckx.
Pogacar also showed his full class in the final stage. And he confirmed why many experts consider him the best cyclist in the world. In the 33.7-kilometer long Individual Time Trial between Monaco and Nice, Pogacar won the race against the clock in another power demonstration ahead of the previous year's winner Jonas Vingegaard and Belgian Time Trial World Champion Remco Evenepoel. Pogacar celebrated his sixth Tour stage win this year, his 17th stage win in total.
In the general classification, Pogacar sat on the throne with a lead of 6:17 minutes over his main rival Vingegaard. Evenepoel took third place with a deficit of 9:18 minutes. For the first time in Tour history, the finale was not held in Paris. The preparations for the Olympics are currently underway in the capital.
Pogacar once again outperforms Vingegaard in the duel
In the big Tour duel with rival Vingegaard, Pogacar took the lead again and now leads in the overall victories with a margin of 3:02. The Dane had won the previous two Tour triumphs, while Pogacar had been successful twice before. Cycling fans worldwide had longed for a duel between Pogacar and Vingegaard at the final Time Trial. However, the tension was lacking due to Pogacar's significant time advantage.
It was different in 1989 when the final Time Trial came around. Back then, the American Greg LeMond defeated the Frenchman Laurent Fignon in a spectacular fashion with a minuscule lead of just eight seconds.
Pogacar prevented any such tension. He was simply too strong. Vingegaard put in a better performance than many had expected after his severe injury in the spring, but he could barely keep up with his rival. It was a creeping defeat. Pogacar, who had defended the yellow jersey sovereignly since the fourth stage, took time from the competition regularly - and thus built up his lead.
In the third week, the hoped-for breakthrough of Pogacar's team failed to materialize. On the contrary: On the mountain challenges in the Pyrenees and Alps, Pogacar defeated Vingegaard once again clearly. Sport Director Grischa Niermann from Vingegaard's team admitted: "Pogacar is the strongest."
Eritrean Girmay best sprinter of the 111th Tour
The final stage started in Monaco with a challenging uphill and downhill section including a steep descent. All eyes were on Pogacar in his hometown. "He knows every corner here, he knows the course very well," said Pogacar's German teammate Nils Politt.
A huge ovation went out for the Eritrean Biniam Girmay both in Monaco and in the finish area. In Monaco, the teammate of the German rider Georg Zimmermann finished as the best sprinter of the 111th edition in the presence of many fans from his home country. Girmay had sensationally won his first Tour stage this year. After that, he won two more stage victories. The Olympic champion Richard Carapaz from Ecuador finished the prestigious race as the strongest climber.
Cavendish finishes Tour as last.
Freiburg's Simon Geschke wore the dotted jersey for nine days in 2022. On Sunday, the native Berliner said goodbye after his twelfth and last tour. The 38-year-old veteran will retire at the end of the season.
Mark Cavendish, top sprinter, is also likely to not race in the Tour again. After winning the fifth stage and securing the sole record of 35 stage victories with his final victory on Sunday, he ended his Tour as the last rider. When asked if this was his last race, the 39-year-old replied: "Very likely."
- Tadej Pogacar, the cycling superstar from Slovenia, donned his favorite sweater during the celebration in Paris following his historic Triple Crown victory at the Tour de France.
- Despite being born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, Eddy Merckx is often associated with Belgium (historically, part of France) due to his exceptional cycling career in the country.
- The picturesque Cote d'Azur, known for its beautiful cities like Monaco and Nice, served as the backdrop for several breathtaking cycling stages during this year's Tour de France.
- As Pogacar approached the finish line in Nice, many fans along the route were reminded of Marco Pantani's victories in the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France, thinking of the "Pirate" who once dominated the world of cycling.
- The final Individual Time Trial between Monaco and Nice showcased the individual skills of the riders, with the Doppler effect created by their speed echoing through the streets of the French Riviera.
- Jonas Vingegaard, the Danish cyclist, pushed himself to his limits in the time trial, hoping to reduce Pogacar's lead and secure a place on the podium at the 111th Tour de France.
- International cycling enthusiasts tuned in to watch the Etappen victory of Tadej Pogacar as he made history alongside Marco Pantani and other cycling legends.
- The route from Monaco to Nice included a few technical sections, testing the riders' abilities to navigate the twists and turns of the Cote d'Azur, much like cyclists on the streets of Nice during a casual Sunday ride.
- Tadej Pogacar's dominance in the Tour de France added another feather to his cap, further cementing his status as one of the best cyclists in the world.
- As the Tour de France drew to a close in Nice, many cycling fans were looking forward to the upcoming Giro d'Italia and La Vuelta a España, hoping for more exciting races and moments like those experienced in the French Alps and Cote d'Azur.
