CYCLING: Pogacar wins record-equaling fifth Tour de France title

PARIS – Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar captured his fifth Tour de France title on Sunday after safely finishing the final stage, matching the all-time record for the most overall victories in cycling's biggest race.

The 27-year-old UAE Team Emirates XRG rider secured his third consecutive Tour de France championship by avoiding any major incidents during the race's closing stage in Paris. With the victory, Pogacar joins Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain as the only five-time Tour de France champions.

Belgium's Remco Evenepoel finished second overall, while Mexico's Isaac del Toro completed the podium in third place.

"Thank you to all the fans and to all of France for hosting this great race," Pogacar said after the race. "Thank you to my competitors for putting on a great show. We fought hard over the last three weeks."

The final stage was won by Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel, who broke away with Pogacar on the final climb of Montmartre with about 10 kilometers remaining. The pair held a slim advantage before Pogacar eased off in the closing stretch, allowing Van der Poel to sprint to victory.

Van der Poel edged teammate Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin–Premier Tech in a photo finish, while Denmark's Mads Pedersen of Lidl–Trek placed third.

"When I was sick last year and I had to watch the stage on television, I was already thinking about this moment," Van der Poel said. "The way it went, it's a dream. It's incredible. It was super hard, and to be up there with the best rider in the world, all my respect for Tadej."

He added that winning a Tour de France stage in Paris had long been one of his career goals.

Pogacar dominated this year's Tour, winning five stages and reinforcing his reputation as the sport's top rider. His path to another overall title became easier after two-time Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard withdrew following a crash during Stage 15.

The race's traditional finale in Paris was shortened because security personnel were reassigned to help respond to wildfires near Bordeaux. Stage 21 was reduced to 89 kilometers from its original 133-kilometer route.

This year's Tour also marked a historic first, as no rider from France, Italy, or Spain won a stage, making it the first edition without a stage victory from any of the three countries that founded and host cycling's Grand Tours.

Pogacar's latest triumph caps three weeks of racing that began with the Grand Depart in Barcelona and further cements his place among the greatest cyclists of his generation. -Reporting by Vincent Daheron; Writing by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Pritha Sarkar/Reuters