As it happened: Astonishing finale to a dramatic last stage of the Tour de France as Pogačar is crowned
2026-07-26T18:22:30.949Z
Brothers in arms. Two good friends uniting over three weeks with Tadej Pogačar taking yellow with Isaac Del Toro taking third in GC and the white best young rider’s jersey.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-07-26T18:19:50.343Z
Mathieu van der Poel speaking to TV after the finish…
“A year I was thinking about this [stage 21]. I was sick last year and had to watch this stage on television. I was already thinking about this moment, and then the way it went, it’s a dream.
“Yeah, it was super hard, and then to be up there with the best rider in the world. All my respect for today, and yeah, I thought we were gonna get caught back, but then I was just thinking about this moment, and I just put my head down and last 500 metres.
“I just went as hard as I could, and I was just waiting until a wheel was coming past, and it didn’t happen. And in the very end, I see tire next to me, and it’s the one from Jasper. It just shows we never give up. Maybe the start of our Tour was not good, but yeah, one and two on Champs Elysees. I think that’s pretty good.”
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-07-26T18:12:09.963Z
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Final General Classification
Place
Rider (Country) Team
Result
1
Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates-XRG
73:56:26
2
Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe
00:06:26
3
Isaac Del Toro (Mex) UAE Team Emirates-XRG
00:09:42
4
Paul Seixas (Fra) Decathlon CMA CGM
00:11:56
5
Lenny Martinez (Fra) Bahrain Victorious
00:13:02
6
Mattias Skjelmose (Den) Lidl-Trek
00:14:59
7
Juan Ayuso (Spa) Lidl-Trek
00:17:48
8
Richard Carapaz (Ecu) EF Education-EasyPost
00:20:00
9
Tom Pidcock (GBr) Pinarello-Q36.5
00:29:28
10
Jordan Jegat (Fra) Totalenergies
00:33:21
2026-07-26T18:11:20.417Z
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Stage 21 top 10
Place
Rider (Country) Team
Result
1
Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Premier Tech
01:58:49
2
Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech
Row 1 – Cell 2
3
Mads Pedersen (Den) Lidl-Trek
Row 2 – Cell 2
4
Max Kanter (Ger) XDS Astana
Row 3 – Cell 2
5
Olav Kooij (Ned) Decathlon CMA CGM
Row 4 – Cell 2
6
Matej Mohoric (Slo) Bahrain Victorious
Row 5 – Cell 2
7
Rick Pluimers (Ned) Tudor Pro Cycling
Row 6 – Cell 2
8
Anthony Turgis (Fra) Totalenergies
Row 7 – Cell 2
9
Milan Fretin (Bel) Cofidis
Row 8 – Cell 2
10
Clément Russo (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United
Row 9 – Cell 2
2026-07-26T18:07:21.090Z
He couldn’t follow Van der Poel and take a sixth stage win, but it was still a brutal showing of power from Tadej Pogačar who wins the Tour de France in magnificent style.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-07-26T18:05:27.116Z
What an incredible way to bring the Tour de France 2026 for the men to a close.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-07-26T18:00:35.384Z
A big five wins for Pogačar in the Tour. What next? La Vuelta is in a few weeks…
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-07-26T17:57:41.492Z
And lets not forget! Tadej Pogačar joins the giants of our sport with his fifth Tour de France overall victory.
2026-07-26T17:56:31.881Z
That was a truly astonishing finale to the Tour de France I have ever seen.
2026-07-26T17:56:04.869Z
It is an Alpecin-Premier Tech one-two with Jasper Philipsen taking second ahead of Mads Pedersen.
2026-07-26T17:55:19.588Z
Mathieu van der Poel SOMEHOW wins stage 21 of the Tour de France 2026!!
2026-07-26T17:54:18.791Z
500 metres to go as Cofidis return to the front as Van der Poel attacks!!
2026-07-26T17:53:59.993Z
Van der Poel leads onto the famous road but the peloton are right there!
2026-07-26T17:53:39.304Z
Flamme Rouge!
The final 1000 metres of the 2026 Tour de France with NSN joining Decathlon-CMA CGM on the front with just 5″ of a gap! They’re within touching distance!
2026-07-26T17:52:44.896Z
2km to go and it dips under 10 seconds! Just 8″ gap now as another rider swings off the peloton.
2026-07-26T17:52:04.182Z
Decathlon-CMA CGM only have three men left for Kooij with 3km to go on the front with Benoot looking after Kooij. Pogačar and Van der Poel have 11″.
2026-07-26T17:50:42.255Z
Just 4km to go with Decathlon-CMA CGM riding flat out and they catch the chase group with 12″ gap to Pogačar and Van der Poel.
2026-07-26T17:50:02.515Z
Back onto the Champs-Élysées and around the Arc de Triomphe. Van der Poel and Pogačar have 12″ on the chase group and 17″ on the peloton as Jasper Philipsen appears in the peloton.
2026-07-26T17:47:27.774Z
The two chase groups are close to coming together as the leaders continue to push flat out.
2026-07-26T17:46:34.638Z
7.5km to go with the chase group at 7″ then the peloton at 16″.
2026-07-26T17:46:11.641Z
The peloton are closing down rapidly as well with Decathlon-CMA CGM doing a superb job yet again for Kooij.
2026-07-26T17:44:56.713Z
Visma-Lease a Bike have two riders in the chase and are chasing hard with Abrahamsen with just 6″ gap.
2026-07-26T17:44:23.604Z
Pedersen’s group are just 15″ back with Evenepoel’s group at 20″ from Van der Poel and Pogačar.
2026-07-26T17:43:45.685Z
10km to go
Van der Poel leads over the top again with Pogačar on his wheel with no-one close to them for now.
2026-07-26T17:43:07.213Z
Attack!
Van der Poel and Pogačar go clear of the rest with a huge move. Jonas Abrahamsen (UXM) chases.
2026-07-26T17:42:33.971Z
Attack
Fred Wright (PQT)
He has Vermeersch with him as Pedersen, Pogačar, Stuyven, Van der Poel and the rest following.
2026-07-26T17:41:45.207Z
Florian Vermeersch tries to come up for Pogačar but gets bumped out with Victor Campenaerts taking over onto the climb.
2026-07-26T17:40:55.494Z
Pascale Eenkhoorn (Soudal-QuickStep) comes to the front for Jasper Stuyven. Huge amounts of movement behind them.
2026-07-26T17:39:16.683Z
Cofidis come to the front to work for Milan Fretin, that would be a turn up for the books.
2026-07-26T17:36:34.249Z
One lap to go
Into the final lap of the race with 16km of this 2026 Tour de France left it is Adam Yates of UAE Team Emirates-XRG who leads the peloton across the peloton.
2026-07-26T17:35:16.759Z
UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Lidl-Trek come back to the front. The group with Del Toro, Pidcock and others are almost four minutes down but don’t have the G to worry about.
2026-07-26T17:32:47.186Z
Jayco-AlUla return to the front with Decathlon-CMA CGM. The riders now head to the final ascent of Montmartre.
2026-07-26T17:31:47.665Z
Attackers caught by Decathlon-CMA CGM. Superb ride by the French team for their Dutch sprinter.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-07-26T17:31:02.020Z
20km to go
With the extra distance to the finish after the climb the peloton are able to close the attacks down. It looks like these four will be brought back.
2026-07-26T17:29:25.138Z
Just 9″ back to the peloton who are closing fast.
2026-07-26T17:27:36.788Z
Pedersen makes it across to the leaders with a superb effort with the peloton just behind at about 20″ being led by Decathlon-CMA CGM for Kooij.
2026-07-26T17:26:44.651Z
Evenepoel taking a moment on the back to recover after chasing back onto the wheels of Pogačar and Van der Poel with just 5″ back to Pedersen as Evenepoel now comes to the front for the first time.
2026-07-26T17:25:35.855Z
They already have a huge gap on the rest apart from Evenepoel and Pedersen. Evenepoel makes it back on and Pedersen may not be too far behind.
2026-07-26T17:24:36.132Z
Kooij and Evenepoel dropped as Pedersen tries to make up ground but Pogačar and Van der Poel are clear of the rest with 26km to go as Van der Poel pulls through immediately.
2026-07-26T17:24:01.289Z
Attack
Tadej Pogačar (UAX)
Mathieu van der Poel (APT)
Remco Evenepoel (RBH)
Olav Kooij (DCT)
And that is it!
2026-07-26T17:23:04.136Z
Daan Hoole (DCT) comes to the front to try and take control for Kooij but Tim Wellens (UAX) comes through to take over the pacing for Pogačar onto the climb.
2026-07-26T17:21:36.639Z
Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe are on full leadout for Evenepoel by the looks as Jan Tratnik pulls off for Van Dijke.
2026-07-26T17:19:42.648Z
30km to go
NSN, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, Netcompany-Ineos, Decathlon-CMA CGM and Alpecin-Premier Tech all leading the way in the peloton.
2026-07-26T17:15:15.955Z
Roughly 50 riders off the back including Del Toro. All GC times have been taken with the Mexican likely losing a few seconds. Pidcock somehow also in this group at 48″ from the peloton.
2026-07-26T17:11:59.411Z
The leaders sit up with Van Mechelen drifting off the front but he is swiftly dragged back and it is all back together again.
2026-07-26T17:11:09.544Z
Mechanical for Jasper Philipsen on the climb so now it is likely all in for Van der Poel.
2026-07-26T17:10:37.198Z
The peloton is closing things back together again.
2026-07-26T17:10:16.106Z
Ben Healy (EFE), Clement Russo (GFC), Tim Marsman (APT), Biniam Girmay (NSN), Milan Fretin (COF) and Olav Kooij (DCT) also said to be in the lead group according to official timings.
2026-07-26T17:08:34.326Z
40km to go
This is a talent packed lead group but some big names are missing.
2026-07-26T17:08:05.135Z
Tom Pidcock (PQT), Jasper Stuyven (SOQ), Kasper Asgreen (EFE), Michael Matthews (JAY), Vincent Van Hemelen (TBV) and others all in this lead group.
2026-07-26T17:06:19.913Z
Pedersen leads Van der Poel, Pogačar and a group of about 10 others.
2026-07-26T17:05:50.309Z
Del Toro gets back into the peloton but has a long way to chase.
2026-07-26T17:05:35.455Z
Attack
Mads Pedersen (LTK)
The green jersey is flying here as they catch Azparren with Pogačar moving up as well.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-07-26T17:04:47.157Z
Onto the climb they go and Azparren is waving up the crowd while leading the race. Alpecin-Premier Tech take over the pacing in the peloton with Guernalec caught by the peloton.
2026-07-26T17:03:39.874Z
Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and Lidl-Trek now come to the front with Alpecin-Premier Tech also trying to muscle their way in.
2026-07-26T17:02:20.403Z
Mechanical for Del Toro! He gets a bike change very quickly and is back on his way but not ideal.
2026-07-26T17:01:49.452Z
Jayco-AlUla hits the front with Luke Durbridge riding his final Tour de France. Likely looking to set up Michael Matthews.
2026-07-26T17:00:16.045Z
The riders turn right and they head onto the Montmartre circuit.
2026-07-26T16:59:37.586Z
One hour of racing done with the leaders of Azparren and Guernalec holding 50″ on the bunch.
2026-07-26T16:58:13.915Z
The Champs-Élysées only circuit is almost done as the riders head towards Montmartre with gigantic crowds waiting on the climb…
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-07-26T16:55:16.215Z
50km to go
The leading duo have 33″ on the peloton but all the riders are getting into colour order with the racing about to head onto Montmartre for the first of three times.
2026-07-26T16:51:54.448Z
Despite multiple road sweeps, the climb to Montmartre was still covered with screws, broken glass, clips and more. Hopefully all goes smoothly for the riders.
2026-07-26T16:49:54.726Z
Attack
Xabier Mikkel Azparren (Pinarello-Q36.5)
Thibault Guernalec (TotalEnergies)
They have a gap of 21″ according to the timings.
2026-07-26T16:48:05.058Z
The peloton all calm again with multiple riders spread across the road.
2026-07-26T16:45:26.605Z
Veistroffer now caught by the peloton with new moves trying to go clear.
2026-07-26T16:45:06.253Z
Veistroffer won the intermediate sprint with Pedersen taking fifth with 12 points for the green jersey.
2026-07-26T16:40:19.453Z
1km to the intermediate sprint.
2026-07-26T16:39:18.539Z
The intermediate sprint is coming very soon. Veistroffer has 10″ in the peloton with 2km to the sprint.
2026-07-26T16:37:16.031Z
Huge movements on the front of the peloton with Alpecin-Premier Tech and Lidl-Trek hammering the pace. Pedersen has taken points in every single intermediate sprint at this race which is quite amazing.
2026-07-26T16:34:12.427Z
Bernal back in as Veistroffer now has 16″ on the peloton.
2026-07-26T16:31:29.949Z
Puncture for Egan Bernal (NCI) and he gets a quick bike change and is already back in the cars.
2026-07-26T16:31:02.117Z
Attack
Baptiste Veistroffer (LOI)
He goes solo yet again. The Frenchman has about 6″ on the peloton for the moment.
2026-07-26T16:30:03.395Z
Attack!
Le Berre (TEN)
Vinokurov (XAT)
Heßmann (MOV)
Steinhauser (EFE)
Thomas (COF)
Slock (LOI)
Dillier (APT)
Veistroffer (LOI)
Racing is underway but that early move is dragged back immediately.
2026-07-26T16:27:32.815Z
Update from organisers
The GC times will be taken at the end of the Champs-Élysées laps with around 41km to go as they head onto the Montmartre laps.
2026-07-26T16:23:51.409Z
Final week:
S16. Evenepoel completed his set with the expected TT win but saw teammate Florian Lipowitz crash out
S17. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) took his win and went to just seven points away from Pedersen’s green jersey
S18. Richard Carapaz took his first of two wins in a magnificent final week from him as Pedersen jumped clear of Philipsen again
S19. Pogačar signed off with record breaking climb and stage win on an incredible chaotic Alpe d’Huez
S20. Carapaz took another stage win with two crashes from Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike) making the polka dot jersey’s job a bit easier as Del Toro solidified his third place with Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM) cracking
S21. We shall see!
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-07-26T16:19:11.665Z
Week two:
S10. Pogačar started week two with a bang as he stormed to yet another win, his third of five stages
S11. Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Mobility) surprised the other sprinters with a long distance sprint win
S12. Merlier completed his hattrick
S13. Mauro Schmid (Jayco-AlUla) took a superb win from the break
S14. Pogačar gets win number four
S15. Evenepoel took first road stage win as we bid farewell to Vingegaard as week two closed
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-07-26T16:15:34.674Z
Let’s take a look back at the race as a whole with three magnificent weeks.
Week one was brutal!
S1. Visma-Lease a Bike won the TTT with Jonas Vingegaard going into yellow
S2. Isaac Del Toro took 1st ahead of Pogačar in a UAE one-two
S3. Pogačar then stormed onto the scene properly and went into yellow
S4. Mads Pedersen went into green with a stage win from the break after a tactical masterclass from Lidl-Trek with Torstein Træen taking yellow
S5. Olav Kooij (Decathlon-CMA CGM) took his first every Tour stage at the first time of asking
S6. Pogačar won again looking like he could win almost everything as he retook yellow
S7. Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) took his first of three wins
S8. Merlier doubled up
S9. week one ended with Mathieu van der Poel powering to breakaway success as Pogačar was in yellow after week one.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-07-26T16:08:34.319Z
Small mechanical for Abel Balderstone (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA). Technically their debut at the race but the sponsor did race in 1987 and 1988.
2026-07-26T16:06:18.594Z
The usual photos are being taken for the jerseys and their teams.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-07-26T16:04:01.878Z
Pogačar is, of course, decked out in yellow.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-07-26T16:00:49.745Z
Around the Arc de Triomphe for the first time as the jerseys still lead the way. We are technically racing bit it does appear the riders will just roll round this first lap at least.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-07-26T15:56:46.626Z
88.7km to go
Racing begins but the first lap does appear to be relaxed as the riders roll off the start/finish line. All the jerseys lined up together in front of the peloton with huge cheers coming from the massive crowds.
2026-07-26T15:55:22.287Z
It is pretty gusty out on course with wind gusts said to possible be up to 30mph at times. Definitely a chance for echelons if a team really goes for it.
2026-07-26T15:53:15.868Z
Interestingly, Quinn Simmons has been named best teammate of the Tour de France after his work for Mads Pedersen, Juan Ayuso and Mattias Skjelmose.
2026-07-26T15:51:41.881Z
The stage is set, the roads are mercifully dry and the riders are rolling to the start with Pogačar getting his saddle height adjusted and Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) adjusting his power meter.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-07-26T15:49:15.653Z
Cannondale have made a fantastic polka dot bike for Carapaz who wins the mountains jersey for the second time in his career.
2026-07-26T15:47:28.970Z
Colnago have made two special bikes for Pogačar and Del Toro with a full yellow and white frames done for them.
2026-07-26T15:42:45.506Z
Lidl-Trek will very likely take the team standings as they lead UAE Team Emirates-XRG by 36’57”, but that can disappear very easily. Lidl-Trek will be going for Mads Pedersen to win in green while UAE will be aiming for another win for Tadej Pogačar in yellow.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-07-26T15:33:34.571Z
Pogačar and the rest of his UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad have gone full yellow for the final stage in Paris. Also the number five is plastered everywhere they can fit it.
2026-07-26T15:30:43.462Z
Tadej Pogačar will be joining a very elite group of riders with five Tour de France overall victories to their names.
Eddy Merckx
Jacques Anquetil
Bernard Hinault
Miguel Indurain
An incredible disaster would have to happen to prevent the Slovenian from joining them.
2026-07-26T15:25:29.486Z
The crowds are already absolutely gigantic in Montmartre with the summit of the climb by the Sacré-Cœur playing host to massive numbers of people with rain clouds looming overhead.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-07-26T15:15:42.708Z
Remarkably, only 11 riders remained inside an hour of Pogačar with Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility) being the last of them at +56’37” with the last placed rider in GC, Cees Bol in 158th, being at +6:22’08” down on Pogačar after a brutal three weeks.
2026-07-26T15:13:57.729Z
The jerseys have been pretty much decided. Anything can happy on this tricky course around Paris, but the jerseys are expected to be as followed:
Yellow GC – Tadej Pogačar (UAX)
Green Points – Mads Pedersen (LTK)
Polka-dots KOM – Richard Carapaz (EFE)
White Youth – Isaac Del Toro (UAX)
With the podium looking like this:
1. Tadej Pogačar (UAX) 72:53’22”
2. Remco Evenepoel (RBH) +6’26”
3. Isaac Del Toro (UAX) +9’42”
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-07-26T15:04:47.393Z
For more in depth information including the official statement by the race organisers, take a look at our news piece…
>>> Final stage of 2026 Tour de France shortened due to exceptional circumstances caused by wildfires
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-07-26T15:03:49.744Z
Take a look at our preview of the stage with the new profile and what that may mean for the riders…
>>> Tour de France 2026 stage 21 preview – A shortened day of racing in Paris to crown the final victors
2026-07-26T14:33:12.475Z
Bonjour and welcome to the final stage of the Tour de France 2026! A shortened day due to police being relocated to southern France to battle the huge wildfires down there. So the riders have 88.7km of racing starting and finishing on the Champs Elysees with three laps of the amazing Montmartre circuit.
(Image credit: ASO)
It was an unusual start to the day with the riders having their team presentation in Thoiry, where the stage was originally meant to begin from at 14:40 local time with all the riders and race officials heading into Paris by bus and car with the stage starting at 17:50 local time. Roughly 50 minutes from now.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
