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Wout van Aert soloed to victory in stage 21 of the 2025 Tour de France on Sunday, dropping Tadej Pogacar on the final ascent of the newly added Montmartre climb. The Belgian star proved the strongest as torrential rain swept through Paris and turned the final day into a dramatic battle of attrition.
The irrepressible Pogacar — who sparked much of the drama in the stage — crossed the line in fourth place to seal his fourth overall Tour de France title, at the age of 26.
There were the usual final-day pleasantries in the first half of the stage: group photos, friendly chats, and a pace that any amateur could happily match. While that was going on, news emerged that, due to the wet weather expected in the French capital, general classification times would be taken on the fourth crossing of the finish line. In other words, before the three ascents and descents of the atmospheric but perilously cobbled Côte de la Butte Montmartre.
The first crossing of the finish line saw the UAE-Emirates team of Pogacar cross the line together in front of the peloton. Then the race began in earnest.
An early break of Quinn Simmons in the U.S. national champions jersey and white jersey winner Florian Lipowitz was caught before the first ascent of Montmartre, a moment that saw Pogacar follow Julian Alaphilippe. By the time they had descended down the other side, the race was split in two: 27 one-day classics specialists (which includes Pogacar, of course) at the front; the tired and the nervous in the second group.
The forecast rain then arrived, and made the second visit to the climb even more treacherous. Another Pogacar acceleration reduced the front group to six riders: the yellow jersey, Matteo Jorgenson, Van Aert, Matej Mohoric, Matteo Trentin, and Davide Ballerini.
The third and final ascent began as expected, with the yellow jersey stringing out the group on the early slopes, but as they reached the steep section near the top, Van Aert did what his team leader Jonas Vingegaard could not do all race… he dropped Pogacar.
Van Aert’s biggest challenge in the final run-in was staying upright on the drenched Parisian streets. He did so adroitly, taking a popular and iconic win alone, the 10th stage win of his Tour de France career, but the first since 2022.
Pogacar, who took on the challenge of this stage in a manner that surely no yellow jersey since Bernard Hinault would have done, deserves huge praise too for his contribution to what was a sensational finale to this year’s race.
Jacob Whitehead and Duncan Alexander break down the key moments from an entertaining stage.
Paris witnesses some vintage Wout van Aert
Wout van Aert has won on the Champs-Élysées before, but that has about the relevance of saying he once won a two-wheeled race.
Sunday’s finish was a totally different proposition — but if anything, more suited to his rare skill set. In riding away from Pogacar on Montmartre, the Belgian underscored why he is still one of the best racers in the world.
This has not been a vintage Tour for Van Aert. Visma-Lease a Bike were roundly beaten in the GC battle, while his best result was second in a sprint finish. For some time, it didn’t seem as if he would ever be back here.
2023 and 2024 were nightmare years with injuries. His right knee is cross-stitched with scars that tell the story of suffering, for one thing, but also the hard work needed to come back.
His win in Siena at the Giro showed his enduring class, but another Tour appeared to be slipping by. In the end, he surged away, outpowering Pogacar at the top of Montmartre before using his time-trialling power to stay clear.
“It was a special day out,” Van Aert said after the stage. “Really special to win here on the Champs-Élysées once again, and on the first occasion where we also climbed Montmartre. The rain made it quite sketchy, but I managed to stay upright and had the full support of my teammates; I really have to thank them for still believing in me as I tried over and over again. Without them, I couldn’t control this race, go to the last climb and leave it all out there. That was our plan and it worked.”
Standing on his pedals in the Paris rain, Van Aert smiled the smile of a man who had taken none of this for granted, but banged his handlebars with the conviction of a man who always believed that, one day, he would be back.
Jacob Whitehead
Should the Montmartre finish become an annual fixture?
There was palpable excitement as the peloton approached the Côte de la Butte Montmartre for the first time, and not just among the huge crowds that had gathered, 10-deep, on the banks of the hill. In one of the cleverest Tour de France routes for several years, here was stage 21 offering something different and very thrilling.
The locals roared as Julian Alaphilippe attacked the first ascent like a man who knows how to work a (sizeable) crowd. And who was that easing his way effortlessly behind him? It was Pogacar, of course, clad all in yellow and enthused by the chance to race properly on the final day.
By the time the race reached Montmartre for a second time, the heavens had opened, but Pogacar’s approach remained the same: full effort, major carnage. Only Jorgenson, Van Aert, Trentin, and Ballerini could keep up; only a rider as skilled as Mohoric could descend at speed on soaking wet roads to bridge the gap and make it a front six.
And if the first two ascents had not convinced everyone, then the sight of Van Aert rolling back the years and pulling clear of the valiant Pogacar on the third ascent surely sealed the deal. The crowd — most of whom had been locked into their positions for hours — howled even louder. This was cycling drama at its purest — and dampest.
There will be understandable calls from fans for this new route to become the standard template for the Tour’s final stage. It will be highly tempting for the organizers, too, once they sit down and review the drama that unfolded today. The sprinters, though, are getting fewer and fewer crumbs to fight over at the Tour, and permanently removing their opportunity to race for victory on the Champs-Élysées would be a shame.
Perhaps the answer is to opt for the Montmartre route every two or three years. Rare enough to keep it special, but regular enough to enjoy scenes like today’s.
Duncan Alexander
Why was the final stage neutralized?
There was light drizzle in Paris, and with that, one of the Tour’s great debates was ended.
After the success of the Paris Olympics last summer, race organisers were intrigued by the notion of featuring Montmartre as part of the final stage, announcing plans to loop the 1.1km climb (5.9 per cent) three times, before ending with the traditional sprint on the Champs-Élysées.
“In our dreams, or in the dreams of our president, Mr Prudhomme, there was a desire to change the last stage a little bit,” route designer Thierry Gouvenou told The Athletic earlier this month. “It is true that we were in a bit of a comfort zone, especially in the city of Paris, where we used to do the Champs-Élysées circuit.
“But then came the Olympics. That stage at Montmartre struck us all; that was the turning point. We knew it could not be done in the same conditions. On the way, the road is narrow and it’s on cobbles, but we do that in Flanders — it’s not an issue. But it was necessary to find descents that were much safer than the Olympics. That was the challenge.”
It was because of this safety issue that several teams and riders were frustrated. Typically, the 21st stage is processional, where teams soft-pedal before the sprint favourites come to the fore in the final 20km. There is no risk for the GC favourites.
Here, with slopes suddenly on the agenda — cobbled slopes no less — it suddenly appeared that there may be efforts to create time gaps on GC. For many, it was one change too many.
“I think the GC guys’ worst fear is losing their place because of that final,” Remco Evenepoel said at the Tour’s outset. “Imagine you’re in the yellow jersey or second place with a small margin, you just want to keep your place. That’s something that nobody really likes for the last 20km of a Grand Tour. We’ll probably have to race it and see how it goes.”
However, come Sunday, there were no small time gaps in the top five. It meant any serious time gaps were unlikely — and rather than bringing excitement, Montmartre only offered the opportunity of a fall on the greasy cobbles.
The decision was made to neutralise the stage before the first ascent of Montmartre. It meant Pogacar, in a sense, won the Tour de France with 50km remaining — though he still needed to complete the stage.
Jacob Whitehead
Reflections on the 2025 Tour de France
The Tour de France promises nothing to anybody. Perhaps it made sense that it ended in pouring rain, with slick cobbles and tight bends.
This has been a Tour that has at times been light on drama, but which may be remembered as the cornerstone of Pogacar’s legacy. This was the month he went toe-to-toe with his greatest rival, both in perfect condition, and was a resounding champion.
“I think Jonas opened up a bit more this year,” Pogacar said of the rivalry. “I must say I quite like the guy and I like to race against him. Today we were speaking in the neutral section at the start time (about) how incredible it was in the last five years (that) we are battling each other and we just push each other to the next level.
“We spoke that we can be, in a way, privileged to have this kind of competition between each other and it even makes us grow more and more.”
We’ve also had cattle herds and crosswinds, the Mur and Mont Ventoux, and been witness to stage wins and crushing disappointment.
The Tour is a cross-section of this sport’s rich tapestry. Thanks so much for your support and comments as we covered the race as The Athletic for the first time. There will be a few more post-race articles to come over the next couple of days, so look out for those.
We’ll also have further coverage of the Femmes over the next week from my colleague Jess Hopkins — we hope you stick with us.
Jacob Whitehead
Stage 21 top 10
- Wout van Aert (3:07:30)
- Davide Ballerini (+19s)
- Matej Mohoric (+19s)
- Tadej Pogacar (+19s)
- Matteo Jorgenson (+25s)
- Matteo Trentin (+38s)
- Arnaud De Lie (+1m 14s)
- Kevin Vauquelin (+1m 14s)
- Mike Teunissen (+1m 14s)
- Dylan Teuns (+1m 14s)
GC final standings
- Tadej Pogacar (76:00:32)
- Jonas Vingegaard (+4m 24s)
- Florian Lipowitz (+11m 0s)
- Oscar Onley (+12m 12s)
- Felix Gall (+17m 12s)
- Tobias Halland Johannessen (+20m 14s)
- Kevin Vauquelin (+22m 35s)
- Primoz Roglic (+25m 30s)
- Ben Healy (+28m 2s)
- Jordan Jegat (+32m 42s)
The roads were dangerously slippery after heavy rain. A fourth Tour de France title was all but won anyway, so finishing safely in the pack would do fine for Tadej Pogačar. Especially considering Sunday’s final stage had already been neutralized for safety reasons and he just had to complete the race.
Surely there was no need to launch a seemingly pointless attack and risk crashing?
But holding back or being cautious rarely appeals to Pogačar, the 26-year-old cycling star from Slovenia. He clinched his fourth Tour title in inimitably daring style on Sunday and further cemented his place among cycling’s greats.
Even though he really did not need to, and risked falling on oil-slicked roads, Pogačar simply could not help himself. Against all logical opinion, he tried winning Sunday’s 21st and final stage with trademark uphill attacks, only to fall short of the stage win itself.
“In the end, I found myself in the front, even though I didn’t have the energy,” said Pogačar, who won the Tour last year and in 2020 and 2021.
“Just speechless to win the Tour de France, this one feels especially amazing,” Pogačar added. “Just super proud that I can wear this yellow jersey.”
Two-time Tour champion Jonas Vinegaard finished the overall race 4 minutes, 24 seconds behind Pogačar in second place, and Florian Lipowitz was 11 minutes adrift in third.
Belgian rider Wout van Aert won the 21st and last stage, which broke with tradition and featured three climbs of Montmartre hill.
Because of heavy rain and the risk of crashes, organizers had earlier neutralized the times 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the end, effectively giving Pogačar the victory — providing he crossed the finish line.
He did the opposite of what almost every rider would do with victory a near certainty.
As the rain teemed down, he set a tremendous pace in the Montmartre climbs as fans cheered all along the cobbled Rue Lepic, with flags and fans hanging out of windows.
Only five riders were left with Pogačar on the third ascension of the 1.1-kilometer Montmartre hill.
After fending off American Matteo Jorgenson, he was caught cold near the top as Van Aert launched a stunning attack to drop — yes, drop! — Pogačar, the world’s best climber, on the steepest section.
“Hats off to Wout, he was incredibly strong,” Pogačar said.
Van Aert rolled back down for a prestigious stage win on the famed Champs-Élysées. Pogačar looked weary as he crossed the line in fourth place, 19 seconds behind.
‘Peace and some nice weather’
But then it was time to celebrate title No. 4. Although, don’t expect Pogačar to make any headlines on that front.
“Everyone celebrates in their own way. I just want peace and some nice weather, not like here today,” Pogačar said. “Just to enjoy some quiet days at home.”
Only four riders have won the showcase race five times: Belgian Eddy Merckx, Spaniard Miguel Induráin, and Frenchmen Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault.
Pogačar won four stages this year to take his Tour tally to 21 and 30 at major races, including six at the Giro d’Italia and three at the Spanish Vuelta.
The UAE Team Emirates leader praised his teammates.
“I think the second week was the decisive moment,” Pogačar said. “We took more advantage.”
Lipowitz, meanwhile, secured his first career podium at a Grand Tour, the alternative name given to the three major races.
His performance, following his third-placed finish last month at the Critérium du Dauphiné, suggests the 24-year-old German rider could challenge shortly.
Breaking with tradition
Traditionally, the last stage is largely processional with riders doing laps around Paris. The Tour broke with tradition after the success of the Paris Olympics road race, which also took in Montmartre, famous for its Sacré-Coeur basilica.
Five in a row
It was the fifth straight year where Pogačar and Vingegaard finished 1-2 at the Tour.
Vingegaard was second in 2021, before beating Pogačar the next two years with the Slovenian second. When Pogačar reclaimed his title last year, Vingegaard was runner-up.
“We’ve raised the level of each other much higher, and we push each other to the limit,” Pogačar said. “I must say to him, big, big respect.”
Five major titles
Pogačar has also won the Giro d’Italia, doing so last year to become the first cyclist to secure the Giro and Tour double in the same season since the late Marco Pantani in 1998.
But Pogačar has not yet won the Spanish Vuelta, whereas Anquetil, Hinault and Merckx won all three major races.
A century of success
When Pogačar won the hilly fourth stage of this year’s race, it was the 100th professional victory of his stellar career, all events combined.
Pogačar is also the world road race champion.
His dominant victory at the Critérium continued his excellent form the spring classics.
After winning stage 4 of the Tour, Pogačar added three more stage wins, including an emphatic uphill time trial.
What’s left to win?
He would love to win the Paris-Roubaix classic and Milan San-Remo.
The 259.2-kilometer (161-mile) Roubaix race is called “The Hell of the North” because of its dangerous cobblestone sections.
Pogačar debut appearance at the one-day classic this year saw him seeking to become the first Tour champion to win it since Hinault in 1981. But powerful Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel won it for the third straight year.
Pogačar has also yet to win Milan-San Remo, with Van der Poel also beating him there this year.
Expect a fired-up Pogačar next year at Roubaix and Milan-San Remo.
But it’s unsure whether he’ll tackle the Vuelta.
PIC OF THE DAY
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 27, 2025
By @century21fr #TDF2025
📸 A.S.O. / Bastien Seon pic.twitter.com/wgoi9AzkWT
🤩 Merci pour ces 3 semaines Kévin 💛 https://t.co/RpZ8hSbxak
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 27, 2025
BACK-TO-BACK POGI 🏆
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 27, 2025
Tour de France 2025 winner 💛#TDF2025
🖼️ @maximelth pic.twitter.com/2ct5BO9ga0