PARIS, France (27 July 2025) — The final curtain fell on a Tour de France that will be remembered not for its predictable yellow jersey outcome, but for the dramatic finale that unfolded on rain-slicked Parisian cobbles. As storm clouds gathered over the City of Light, Wout van Aert delivered a masterclass in tactical patience, claiming his 10th Tour stage victory in a thrilling conclusion that saw cycling’s most complete rider remind the world of his devastating finishing kick.
The 112.2-kilometer stage from Mantes-la-Ville to the Champs-Élysées promised fireworks from the moment race organizers announced the inclusion of the Côte de la Butte Montmartre—the same climb that crowned Remco Evenepoel Olympic champion just one year prior. What transpired exceeded even the most optimistic expectations, as the supposedly ceremonial final stage transformed into a gladiatorial contest worthy of the sport’s greatest amphitheatre.
The Calm Before the Storm
The morning began with an air of celebration as Tadej Pogačar, resplendent in his fourth maillot jaune, led the 160-man peloton through the opening kilometers in procession. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG leader had secured his victory with characteristic dominance, but the revised parcours suggested Sunday’s stage would be anything but a parade.
“In the end, I found myself in the front even though I didn’t have the energy to motivate myself today,” Pogačar would later reflect, his admission revealing the psychological complexity of defending a Tour de France with one stage remaining. “I was really happy they neutralised the times of the GC.”
That neutralization—a decision made due to treacherous conditions as persistent rain transformed Parisian roads into mirrors—freed the yellow jersey from the burden of defense and liberated attackers to script their own narrative.
Jonathan Milan, securing his points classification victory with another intermediate sprint triumph, embodied the controlled aggression that would define the early kilometers. His green jersey compatriot’s calculated approach contrasted sharply with the chaos that would soon erupt.
The First Shots Fired
The racing ignited as soon as Magnus Cort (Uno-X Mobility) opened hostilities with 69 kilometers remaining. His acceleration was immediately neutralized, but the signal had been sent—this would be no gentle ride to glory. Quinn Simmons and Florian Lipowitz briefly held court at the front, their handful of seconds serving as a preview of the selection to come.
Yet it was Julian Alaphilippe who truly set Paris alight. The Frenchman, racing with the attacking instincts that have defined his career, launched himself up the first ascent of Montmartre to delirious crowd appreciation. Behind him, Arnaud De Lie attempted to follow, but both were immediately overshadowed by the sight of Pogačar himself cresting the climb first.
“I tried but hats off to Wout [van Aert], he was incredibly strong,” Pogačar later acknowledged, his praise masking the tactical chess match that was about to unfold.
The Battle Royale
The second ascent of Montmartre proved even more selective. Pogačar’s attack created a devastating split, with only four riders capable of matching his acceleration: Davide Ballerini (XDS Astana), Matteo Jorgenson, Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike), and Matteo Trentin (Tudor). The addition of Matej Mohorič on the descent created a six-man group that would contest the stage victory, each rider carrying different ambitions and tactical imperatives.
Van Aert, the veteran campaigner, had positioned himself perfectly. Unlike his companions, who carried the visible strain of three weeks’ racing, the Belgian appeared to be gathering strength as the finale approached. His team car communications crackled with tactical updates, the Visma-Lease a Bike squad understanding that their leader possessed the tools to transform what appeared to be a group sprint into something far more spectacular.
The Decisive Blow
The final ascent of the Côte de la Butte Montmartre unfolded like a slow-motion explosion. As the group climbed at a blistering 33.3 km/h pace, Pogačar made his expected acceleration. For a moment, cycling’s dominant force appeared to be scripting his own fairy-tale ending—a victory in yellow on the Champs-Élysées, a feat achieved only by Bernard Hinault in the sport’s history.
But van Aert had been waiting for precisely this moment. As Pogačar’s acceleration reached its crescendo, the Belgian unleashed his counter-attack in the final 300 meters of the climb. The response was devastating in its simplicity and execution. Even Pogačar, momentarily caught off-guard by the Belgian’s timing, found himself distanced by six seconds as van Aert crested the summit alone.
“When I saw a gap to get past Pogačar, I went for it, but then I couldn’t hear how far ahead I was,” van Aert revealed. “I only felt relieved when I entered the Champs-Élysées.”
The Victory March
With 5 kilometers remaining, van Aert had stretched his advantage to 10 seconds over Pogačar, but the story was far from over. Behind the Slovenian, Ballerini, Jorgenson, and Mohorič had regrouped, forming a chase trio that trailed van Aert by 13 seconds with less than 4 kilometers to the finish.
The mathematics were cruel but clear: van Aert’s advantage was sufficient, but only if he maintained his focus through the final kilometers of Parisian streets made treacherous by persistent rain. The Belgian, drawing on reserves built through 1,100 days of waiting since his last Tour stage victory, powered through the closing kilometers with the determination of a rider who understood the magnitude of the moment.
At 19:36 local time, van Aert surged across the finish line in magnificent isolation, his arms thrust skyward in a triumph forged through raw determination and tactical brilliance. The Belgian had transformed what seemed destined to be a group sprint into a solo masterpiece, grinding out a crushing 19-second advantage over a world-class chase quartet featuring Ballerini, Mohorič, Pogačar, and Jorgenson.
Even as rain turned the cobbles on the Champs-Élysées into a treacherous minefield, van Aert summoned superhuman reserves to drop some of cycling’s most lethal finishers in the sport’s most hallowed arena. Though race officials neutralized the official finishing times due to the perilous conditions, van Aert’s genuine gap over such elite company stood as undeniable testament to his explosive final surge—a devastating display of power that reminded the cycling world why he remains one of the sport’s most complete champions.
The Jerseys Decided
While van Aert celebrated his return to the top step, the other classifications reached their own conclusions. Pogačar’s fourth Tour de France victory was confirmed with an overall time of 76 hours and 32 seconds, adding to his triumphs in 2020, 2021, and 2024. Jonas Vingegaard, despite his obvious disappointment, secured second place, 4 minutes and 24 seconds behind.
“Out of my five Tour de France podiums, this is the one I’m least happy with,” Vingegaard admitted with characteristic honesty. “I came here to win the Tour de France, which I think was in some kind of way realistic.”
Florian Lipowitz completed the final podium in third place, his time of 76 hours, 11 minutes, and 32 seconds securing both a Grand Tour podium and the white jersey in only his second three-week race. “It’s a dream come true to reach the podium of the Tour de France,” the German reflected. “I’ve been thinking about it for several years, but I didn’t think it would happen so soon.”
Jonathan Milan’s green jersey triumph provided the perfect capstone to Lidl-Trek’s campaign, the Italian sprinter accumulating 372 points to claim the points classification in his debut Tour appearance. “It has been a goal all year long and a dream since I turned pro,” Milan celebrated.
Legacy and Reflection
Van Aert’s victory marked more than just his 10th Tour stage win—it represented a reminder of cycling’s capacity for surprise and renewal. In an era dominated by predictable outcomes and calculated risks, the Belgian’s perfectly-timed attack demonstrated that racing instinct and tactical acumen remain the sport’s most valuable currencies.
“It was incredible, a truly special day,” van Aert reflected. “Winning again on the Champs-Élysées is always unforgettable, and this time, with the climb up to Montmartre, it was even more unique.”
As the peloton dispersed into the Parisian evening, their three-week odyssey complete, the 2025 Tour de France had delivered its final lesson: that even in cycling’s most choreographed moments, the sport’s essential unpredictability can still emerge to transform ceremony into spectacle, routine into legend.
For Pogačar, the satisfaction of a fourth yellow jersey; for van Aert, redemption after 1,100 days of waiting; for cycling itself, a reminder that Paris—whether hosting Olympics or Tours—remains the perfect stage for the sport’s most dramatic narratives.
By the Numbers
1100×10 : VAN AERT IS BACK!
Winner after attacking during the 3rd Côte de la Butte Montmartre ascent, Wout van Aert raises his arms for the 10th time on the Tour, 1,100 days after his last victory in Rocamadour 2022 (stage 20). He had since finished in the top-3 eight times, without winning. Van Aert is the 37th rider to reach 10 victories. He equals, among others, his compatriot Jasper Philipsen who took his 10th success on stage 1.
6: IT ENDS AS IT BEGAN
After Jasper Philipsen (stage 1), Tim Merlier (stages 3 and 9), Remco Evenepoel (stage 5), and Tim Wellens (stage 15), Wout van Aert claims the 6th Belgian victory of this edition. As many as in 1985 and 2022. You have to go back to the 7 victories of 1984, 41 years ago, to find a better record. Belgium is the most Tour 2025 victorious nation, ahead of Slovenia (4), the Netherlands (3), Italy (2), Australia (2), Ireland (1), Great Britain (1), Norway (1), and France (1). Van Aert is the first Belgian to win twice the Champs-Élysées final stage, that 12 Belgians have won. Freddy Maertens did it twice, but once (1976) in a time trial that took place in the morning, before the final stage.
4: POGAČAR STILL RISING
Tadej Pogačar wins his 4th Tour de France and equals Chris Froome. The Slovenian is now just one victory away from the 5 won by Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain. He is the youngest rider to win 4 titles at 26 years, 10 months and 6 days. Merckx achieved this at 27 years, 1 month and 6 days. His 54 Yellow Jerseys place him 5th in this ranking (record: Merckx, 111). Pogačar is the first rider to reach the podium in his first 8 Grand Tours, and the first to achieve 6 consecutive Tour de France podium finishes.
1971: THE POWER OF YOUTH
Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard, Florian Lipowitz, Oscar Onley and Félix Gall have a combined average age of 26 years and 37 days. This is the youngest general classification top-5 since 1971, when Eddy Merckx, Joop Zoetemelk, Lucien Van Impe, Bernard Thévenet, and Joaquim Agostinho had a 25 years and 236 days old average age.
100%: A GREEN “NEO”
Winner of two stages, Jonathan Milan becomes the 3rd Italian to win the points classification after Franco Bitossi (1968) and Alessandro Petacchi (2010). He is the first “neo” to win the green jersey since Peter Sagan in 2012. Milan has a 100% success rate in Grand Tours: he has won the points classification in both of his Giros (2023-2024), and his first Tour de France. He is the 7th different winner in the last 7 editions, something that hasn’t happened since 2006-2012.
6: LIPOWITZ, A YOUNG STAR
Florian Lipowitz (3rd) won the best young rider classification in his first Tour, like Tadej Pogačar (2020) and Remco Evenepoel (2024) in recent years. This is the 7th consecutive time that the white jersey has finished on the Tour podium. The German is the 6th “neo” to finish in the top-3 in the 21st century. The last three were Tadej Pogačar (1st in 2020), Jonas Vingegaard (2nd in 2021), and Remco Evenepoel (3rd in 2024).
4/9: THE FUTURE LOOKS SHINY
With Florian Lipowitz (3rd), Oscar Onley (4th), Kévin Vauquelin (7th), and Ben Healy (9th), 4 contenders for the best young rider classification are in the top-9 of the general classification. This is slightly better than last year (4 in the top-10) and is unprecedented since the classification’s introduction in 1975! At the top, 1’12” separates Lipowitz and Onley, the smallest gap since the Tour 2011 (46″ between Pierre Rolland and Rein Taaramäe).
3: THE POLKA DOT JERSEY, FOR HIM TOO
Tadej Pogačar wins the mountains classification for the 3rd time after 2020 and 2021. The Slovenian equals Julio Jimenez as the 4th rider with the most polka dot jerseys. Only Richard Virenque (7), Federico Bahamontes (6), and Lucien Van Impe (6) are now ahead of him.
2: HEALY AFTER MARTIN
Winner at Vire-Normandie (stage 6), 9th overall, and at the front several times, Ben Healy has won his first Tour’s combativity award. He succeeds Richard Carapaz and becomes the second Irishman to receive this distinction after Dan Martin in 2018. Like him, his compatriot also won stage 6, finishing 8th overall.
1-2: WHO CAN STOP THEM?
Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard occupy the general classification top-2 places for the 5th time (and in a row), an unprecedented feat. Before them, the duo with the most doubles was Bernard Hinault and Joop Zoetemelk (three times in 1978, 1979, and 1982). Pogačar and Vingegaard also finished 1st and 2nd in no fewer than 15 stages, 12 of which were won by the Slovenian.
5: GRAND TOURS SPECIALISTS
Wout van Aert’s last 5 victories have all come in the last three Grand Tours, where he has won each time: three stages in the Vuelta 2024, one in the Giro last May, and one in the Tour de France today. This performance is identical to that of Kaden Groves, winner in the Vuelta 2024 (three times), the Giro 2025 (once), and the Tour de France yesterday in Pontarlier.
12: FEW RIDERS IN THE SAME HOUR AS THE WINNER
12 riders finished less than an hour behind Tadej Pogačar (Thymen Arensman 12th at 52’41”, Jhonathan Narváez 13th at 1h04’36”). This is the first time in 56 years that only 12 riders have finished within the same hour as the winner: you have to go back to 1969 to see this (Lucien Van Impe 12th and 56’17” behind Eddy Merckx, Jean-Claude Theillière 13th at 1h04’58”). Something that is showing the huge pace set by the leader!
Stage 21 Results
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- Wout van Aert (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – 3h07’30”
- Davide Ballerini (XDS Astana Team) – +0″
- Matej Mohorič (Bahrain Victorious) – +0″
- Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates XRG) – +0″
- Matteo Jorgenson (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +0″
- Matteo Trentin (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) – +0″
- Arnaud De Lie (Lotto) – +0″
- Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) – +0″
- Mike Teunissen (XDS Astana Team) – +0″
- Dylan Teuns (Cofidis) – +0″
Final General Classification
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- Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates XRG) – 76h00’32”
- Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma-Lease a Bike) – +4’24”
- Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) – +11’00”
- Oscar Onley (Team Picnic PostNL) – +12’12”
- Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) – +17’12”
- Tobias Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility) – +20’14”
- Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) – +22’35”
- Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) – +25’30”
- Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) – +28’02”
- Julien Jegat (TotalEnergies) – +32’42”
Final Jersey Leaders
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- Yellow Jersey (Overall Leader) – Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates XRG)
- Green Jersey (Points Classification) – Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek)
- Polka Dot Jersey (King Of The Mountains) – Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates XRG)
- White Jersey (Best Young Rider) – Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe)
Well written coverage though one egregious error suggests AI was suffering the DTs when it reported that Van Aert won in 3 hours 7 minutes and 30 seconds with Ballerini and Mohoric having the same time which is reflective of the intensity of their pursuit. The only problem is that in the accompanying photo they are nowhere in sight. The real answer is due to the rain the course was neutralized so that all received the winner’s time. Being familiar with the Champs Elyse’es finish line I can see that the pursuit finished at least 1 seconds behind the winner. This is unfortunate as factual reporting would have made it more exciting.
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