photo credits @Le Tour
The addition of the Côte de la Butte Montmartre in stage 21 delivered exhilarating racing in the rain. Clad in the Maillot Jaune, Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) attacked on all three ascents… but he couldn’t respond when Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) countered atop the final climb.
Already a winner on the Champs-Élysées in 2021, the Belgian all-rounder takes his 10th Tour stage victory – the first since the time trial at Rocamadour in 2022, exactly 1,100 days ago. Pogacar eventually crossed the line 4th and celebrated a new overall triumph, after having ruled the 2020, 2021, and 2024 editions. He also dominates the KOM standings for the third time (2020, 2021).
Meanwhile, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) complete the podium, with the German neo-pro also claiming the white jersey, with Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) winning the points classification in his maiden Tour.
Race Highlights
Attacks flew as soon as the riders passed the first finishing lap, with Magnus Cort (Uno-X Mobility) being the first rider to open up a gap with 69 kilometers to go. But he was quickly reeled in due to the flurry of counter attacks.
Milan later honored his green jersey with yet another victory in the intermediate sprint, while his teammate Quinn Simmons set off with Lipowitz at the front.
From there, the duo opened up a handful of seconds over the peloton as they cross the finish line for the fourth time. But, the two leader were eventually caught with 44 km to go.
Tudor drove the peloton towards the first climb of Côte de la Butte Montmartre, with Julian Alaphilippe setting off with Arnaud De Li and Pogacar fast on his wheel.
Pogacar attacked again and again on the second ascent of Montmartre, with only Davide Ballerini (XDS Astana), Matteo Jorgenson, Van Aert, Matteo Trentin and Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious) able to follow the Slovenian rider’s move.
Onto the final ascent, Pogacar attacked again, but Van Aert quickly countered with a fierce acceleration during the final 300 meters to seize the victory.
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