Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogacar secured his fifth Tour de France title on Sunday, equaling the record for most wins in the race’s history. The 27-year-old completed the 21-stage event with a commanding lead of 6 minutes, 26 seconds over Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel, finishing at the Champs-Élysées in Paris.

Pogacar’s victory adds to an already impressive career, including seven Tour de France appearances and consistent podium finishes. With this latest success, he joins cycling legends Eddy Merckx of Belgium, Miguel Indurain of Spain, and French riders Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault as the only athletes to win five editions of the Tour. Pogacar’s final overall margin and his performance across the competition demonstrated a blend of daring mountain attacks, multiple stage wins—five this year alone—and calm composure under pressure.

The race was notably affected by events outside the sport, with emergency services heavily engaged in combatting wildfires in southwestern France. In response, organizers shortened Sunday’s final stage from 133 to 88.7 kilometers and modified its starting point from Thoiry to Paris to ease the burden on local authorities. Some security personnel initially assigned to the event were diverted to aid the wildfire response.

Sunday’s stage included a challenging uphill climb through the Montmartre district, a steep one-kilometer ascent completed three times before riders finished on the iconic Champs-Élysées. This added difficulty made the stage more demanding than previous years' largely flat, sprinter-focused finales. Although Pogacar vied for a stage win, it was Dutch cyclist Mathieu van der Poel who crossed the line first, narrowly outpacing the chasing group for his second stage victory of this Tour and his fourth overall.

Pogacar acknowledged the absence of some rivals who had to withdraw, notably two-time champion Jonas Vingegaard, who crashed out on Stage 15. “Shame that Jonas and others crashed out of this Tour,” he said, expressing hopes for renewed competition in the coming season.

Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates XRG teammate Isaac del Toro, a 22-year-old Mexican rider making his Tour debut, secured third place overall, trailing Pogacar by 9 minutes, 42 seconds. The Slovenian reflected on his record-equalling feat with a mixture of disbelief and satisfaction, noting he now faces the challenge of setting new goals.

Looking ahead, Pogacar hinted at the upcoming Vuelta a España, which is set to start in late August, stating, “Will I be at La Vuelta in a few weeks? Let’s see.” His winning tally of 26 Tour de France stage victories cements his place among the sport’s elite as he continues to pursue further accomplishments.