Slovenian cycling superstar Tadej Pogacar has made history by winning the 2026 Tour de France, securing his fifth career title and equaling the all-time record held by Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain.
The victory marks Pogacar’s third consecutive Tour de France triumph, further cementing his place among the greatest cyclists in the sport’s history.
Pogacar Completes Another Dominant Tour
The 27-year-old UAE Team Emirates XRG rider only needed a safe finish during the final stage into Paris to secure the yellow jersey after dominating much of the three-week race.
Pogacar finished comfortably ahead of Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel, who claimed second place overall, while Mexico’s Isaac del Toro completed the final podium in third.
After crossing the finish line, Pogacar thanked the fans and his rivals for another unforgettable edition of cycling’s biggest race.
“Thank you to all the fans and to France for hosting this great race. We fought hard over the last three weeks,” Pogacar said.
Mathieu van der Poel Wins Final Stage
Although Pogacar secured the overall title, the final stage belonged to Dutch cyclist Mathieu van der Poel.
Van der Poel launched an attack alongside Pogacar during the final climb of Montmartre, with the pair breaking away from the peloton before the Dutch rider sprinted to victory on the iconic Champs-Élysées.
He narrowly defeated teammate Jasper Philipsen in a dramatic photo finish, while Denmark’s Mads Pedersen finished third in the stage.
Van der Poel described the victory as one of the biggest achievements of his career.
A Tour Filled with Dominance
Pogacar controlled the race from the opening stages, winning five individual stage victories during the 2026 Tour.
His biggest rival, Jonas Vingegaard, withdrew after suffering a crash during Stage 15, removing the strongest challenger to Pogacar’s quest for another title.
The Slovenian rider continued to build his overall lead and never looked seriously threatened during the final week.
Shortened Paris Finale
This year’s traditional Tour finale was shortened due to severe wildfires near Bordeaux, forcing organizers to reduce the final stage from 133 kilometers to just 89 kilometers.
Despite the shorter route, thousands of fans lined the streets of Paris to witness another historic Tour de France finish.
Historic First for Cycling
The 2026 Tour also produced an unusual milestone.
For the first time in Tour de France history, no rider from France, Italy, or Spain managed to win a single stage during the race.
The absence of victories from the three nations most closely associated with cycling highlighted the increasingly international nature of the sport.
Pogacar Strengthens His Legacy
With five Tour de France titles now to his name, Tadej Pogacar joins cycling’s most legendary champions.
Still only 27 years old, the Slovenian appears well positioned to break the all-time record in the coming years as he continues to dominate the sport and establish himself as one of cycling’s greatest riders.
