Tadej Pogacar achieved a remarkable double by winning the stage 21 time trial into Nice, securing his sixth stage victory of the Tour de France and becoming the first man since Marco Pantani in 1998 to win both of cycling’s biggest races in the same year.

In a historic move, the Tour’s finale was held outside of Paris for the first time since 1903 as the French capital prepares for the Olympics. Wearing the yellow jersey, Pogacar finished the stage 63 seconds ahead of second-placed Jonas Vingegaard. This win secured Pogacar’s third Tour de France title, extending his lead over Vingegaard to six minutes and 17 seconds.

“I cannot describe how happy I am,” said Pogacar. “After two hard years in the Tour de France, this year everything went perfectly.”

Tour debutant Remco Evenepoel, riding for Soudal–Quick-Step, finished third on the stage and completed the general classification podium, nine minutes and 18 seconds behind Pogacar.

The 2024 Tour de France also witnessed Mark Cavendish’s record 35th stage victory in Saint Vulbas during the opening week. The legendary British sprinter indicated that this year’s Tour is likely to have been his last race.

Slovenian’s domination on the Tour

Pogacar dominated this year’s Tour de France, winning six stages in a single edition, the first since Cavendish in 2009. He spent 19 days in the yellow jersey, holding it exclusively from stage four.

The Tour was arguably won on stage 15, where Pogacar, already ahead by almost two minutes, stormed to victory on the gruelling climb up to Plateau de Beille, extending his lead over Vingegaard by another 69 seconds. Four days later, he had overall victory secured after ascending to Isola 2000, where he put a further one minute and 42 seconds into his nearest rivals.

Pogacar’s dominance was clear, even over a recovering Vingegaard, who had been suffering from a broken collarbone and ribs since April.

His Tour de France performance matched his dominance at this year’s Giro d’Italia, where he won by nine minutes and 56 seconds. “It would have already been an incredible year, but to win the Tour de France is another level,” added Pogacar. “To win both together is another level above that level.”

In July, Pogacar mentioned he was “99% sure” he would not compete in this year’s Vuelta a Espana, where he could have become the first rider to win all three Grand Tours in the same calendar year. He will represent Slovenia in the men’s road race at the Olympics in Paris on August 3rd.

Eritrean Girmay’s remarkable achievement

Sprinter Biniam Girmay has made history by becoming the first black African to win the points classification in the Tour de France. Girmay safely finished in Nice to secure this remarkable achievement. He had an outstanding race, becoming the first Eritrean to win a stage at the Tour on day three, and then going on to claim two more victories on stage eight and stage 12.

At 24 years old, Girmay is the deserving recipient of the prestigious green jersey. He is one of only six black African riders in the top-level World Tour peloton, which consisted of 534 riders in 2023, the year he made his Tour de France debut. Girmay has faced challenges such as visa issues and loneliness since relocating to Europe six years ago.

In other classifications, Richard Carapaz emerged as the winner of the King of the Mountains category, while 24-year-old Belgian Evenepoel claimed the white jersey as the best rider under the age of 25 in the general classification.

Stage 21 results:

1. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) 45mins 24secs
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) +1min 03secs
3. Remco Evenepoel (Bel/Soudal- Quick Step) +1min 14secs
4. Matteo Jorgenson (USA/Visma-Lease a Bike) +2mins 08secs
5. Joao Almeida (Por/UAE Team Emirates) +2mins 18secs
6. Derek Gee (Can/Israel- Premier Tech) +2mins 31secs
7. Mikel Landa (Spa/Soudal-Quick Step) +2mins 41 secs
8. Harold Tejada (Col/Astana Qazaqstan Team) +2mins 50 secs
9. Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain – Victorious) +2mins 53secs
10. Adam Yates (GB/UAE Team Emirates) +2mins 56secs

Final general classification standings:

1. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) 83hrs 38mins 56secs
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) +6mins 17secs
3. Remco Evenepoel (Bel/Soudal- Quick Step) +9mins 18secs
4. Joao Almeida (Por/UAE Team Emirates) +19mins 03secs
5. Mikel Landa (Spa/Soudal-Quick Step) +20mins 06secs
6. Adam Yates (GB/UAE Team Emirates) +24mins 07secs
7. Carlos Rodriguez (Spa/Ineos Grenadiers) +25mins 04secs
8. Matteo Jorgenson (USA/Visma-Lease a Bike) +26mins 34secs
9. Derek Gee (Can/Israel- Premier Tech) +27mins 21secs
10. Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain – Victorious) +29mins 03secs