Tadej Pogacar Wins 5th Tour de France by 6:26 as Van der Poel Takes Stage 21
Updated
Updated · ESPN · Jul 26
Tadej Pogacar Wins 5th Tour de France by 6:26 as Van der Poel Takes Stage 21
3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Jul 26
Summary
Tadej Pogacar sealed his fifth Tour de France title in Paris, finishing 6 minutes, 26 seconds ahead of Remco Evenepoel after safely completing the 21st and final stage.
The 27-year-old Slovenian dominated the 2026 race with five stage wins, lifting his career Tour stage tally to 26 and matching the all-time mark of five overall titles.
Isaac Del Toro, Pogacar's 22-year-old UAE Team Emirates XRG teammate riding his first Tour, finished third overall at 9:42 back.
Mathieu van der Poel denied Pogacar a sixth stage win, using the repeated 1-kilometer Montmartre climb to power clear and claim Stage 21 on the Champs-Elysees.
The victory puts Pogacar alongside Eddy Merckx, Miguel Indurain, Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault as the only riders to win the Tour five times.
How did hidden illnesses and extreme wildfires secretly shape the podium of Tadej Pogacar's historic fifth Tour de France victory?
Can Tadej Pogacar conquer the Vuelta next month to achieve an unprecedented Grand Tour sweep, or will fatigue finally break him?
Will the controversial night-time anti-doping tests at the 2026 Tour de France expose new secrets or merely punish clean riders?
Five-Time Champion: How Tadej Pogačar Redefined the 2026 Tour de France Amid Crisis and Controversy
Overview
The 2026 Tour de France was dramatically shaped by unexpected late-night anti-doping tests for top contenders, leading to Jonas Vingegaard’s crash and withdrawal, which completely changed the race’s dynamics. UAE Team Emirates-XRG, powered by a massive budget and advanced sports science, shifted strategy to protect Tadej Pogačar’s yellow jersey and secure a podium for Isaac del Toro. Severe wildfires in southwestern France forced major changes to the final stage, but Pogačar safely finished in Paris, clinching his fifth Tour title and joining cycling’s elite. This triumph fueled a Slovenian cycling boom and left rivals struggling to match UAE’s aggressive, innovative tactics.