Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader’s yellow jersey, rides during the last stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start and finish in Paris, Sunday, July 26, 2026.
Thibault Camus/AP
hide caption
toggle caption
Thibault Camus/AP
Tadej Pogačar from Slovenia secured his fifth Tour de France victory on Sunday. The cyclist crossed the finish line just before 8 p.m. local time.
After the race, Pogačar expressed his gratitude to his fans and supporters, describing the win as “unbelievable” during a press conference.
“Yeah, seven tours already and seven times on podium and five wins,” said Pogačar. “It’s something that you wouldn’t even maybe write in a story book.”
The final stage of the prestigious French cycling race started at approximately 5:50 p.m. local time on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. The start was delayed due to wildfires in the southwestern region of the country.
According to organizers, the route for the last stage was shortened because security and police resources needed to be redirected to address the fires. Initially, the stage was planned to start in Thoiry, about 56 kilometers west of Paris, with cyclists riding into the capital.
The final stage was won by Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel, completing it in 1 hour, 58 minutes, and 49 seconds. Pogačar’s total time for the tour was 73 hours, 56 minutes, and 26 seconds, which was nearly six and a half minutes faster than his closest rival, Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel.
With this victory, Pogačar joins the ranks of the most successful competitors in the event’s history, alongside Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Induráin. Lance Armstrong had previously won seven titles, but they were revoked after revelations of performance-enhancing drug use.
