Tadej Pogacar even fulfilled his colleagues’ autograph requests in the yellow jersey, Mark Cavendish was annoyed about the single stage record he had missed, André Greipel ended his tour career at the location of his two greatest successes: the 108th Tour de France is over with a historic overall victory and a lot of emotions Gone to the end.
Before Pogacar, as the youngest two-time champion in Tour history, outshone everyone on the podium in the Parisian evening sun, the sprinters raced into the limelight one last time. Cavendish missed something memorable. The Brit from the Deceuninck-Quick Step team came third behind the Belgians Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix). With a win, the 36-year-old would have become the sole record stage winner. He now shares the best value with Belgium’s cycling icon Eddy Merckx (both 34 wins). The 39-year-old Greipel finished his tour career with a strong fifth place.
Pogacar rolled easily behind it and crossed the finish line as the superior overall winner. The young professional of the UAE Emirates team attacked in the Alps, overcame a minimal weakness on Mont Ventoux and left nothing to burn in the heat of the Pyrenees. In addition, Pogacar – unlike his previously highly traded rivals Geraint Thomas and Primoz Roglic – was spared serious falls.
“It’s unbelievable. I never dreamed it would. I’m enjoying the moment,” said Pogacar before his “Tour d’Honneur”, the last part of the day in France’s capital. Traditionally, the maillot jaune was no longer attacked. Pogacar first posed for the cameras with his teammates, then drove alongside the other Slovenian drivers. Pogacar and the two-time stage winner Matej Mohoric held the start number “11” of Roglic, who got off in the Alps, aloft.
André Greipel ended his career at the age of 39
In the decisive individual time trial on Saturday, Pogacar’s overall victory was no longer in danger. A ride without any risk was enough for him on the 30.8 km to Saint-Emilion. Pogacar finished eighth in the day’s success of all-rounder van Aert, who had also won the mountain stage on Mont Ventoux, and thus defended his lead without any difficulty. After three weeks of strict tour diet, Pogacar enjoyed the success with a portion of fast food. In a fast-food restaurant, he ordered numerous fries, burgers and drinks.
Cavendish also earned the podium in Paris when he won the green jersey for the second time. The fact that he raced past the single stage record on Sunday did nothing to change a Grand Loop that was successful for him. Cavendish had four stage wins on this tour.
On Sunday, little happened on the last of the total of 3414.4 kilometers of the tour. When the remaining 147 drivers reached Paris, the race for the sprint victory was on. On the final circuit, the sprinter teams parried a few isolated attempts before the expected mass sprint took place. Greipel also got involved there again. With a total of eleven stage wins since 2011, Greipel is the second most successful German in the world’s largest cycle race.
Another will not be added. The 39-year-old, who triumphed on the Parisian boulevard in 2015 and 2016, ended his career at the end of the season. “I’ve always said that when I’m 40, I don’t want to be on my bike anymore,” said Greipel, explaining his step, which he took months ago and finally made public one day before the end of the Tour de France.