Tour de France: Cyclist rips off placard from woman spectator (Watch)
The Tour de France, widely regarded as the most prestigious cycling race in the world, continues to captivate sports fans with its blend of endurance, strategy, and sheer physical challenge. First held in 1903, the annual event spans 21 stages over 23 days, covering more than 3,000 kilometres across varied French terrain, including the punishing climbs of the Alps and Pyrenees.The 2025 edition of the Tour, currently underway, has once again brought together the elite of the cycling world. Riders from across the globe are competing not only for individual glory in the yellow jersey, awarded to the general classification leader, but also for team honours and other jerseys, such as the green jersey (best sprinter), polka dot jersey (best climber), and white jersey (best young rider).What makes the Tour de France unique is not just its physical demands, but its rich tactical complexity. Each team of eight riders works to protect its leader, set the pace, control breakaways, and conserve energy for key mountain stages or time trials. Success requires not just strength and stamina, but perfect coordination, planning, and on-the-fly decision-making.This year, the Tour has been especially competitive, with defending champion Jonas Vingegaard facing stiff challenges from Slovenian rival Tadej Pogacar, among others. Vingegaard, who returned to racing after recovering from a crash earlier this season, has looked strong in the mountains, while Pogacar has countered with aggressive tactics and dominance in the time trials.The route in 2025 has taken riders through iconic locations like Mont Ventoux and Alpe d'Huez, thrilling fans lining the roads with flags and cheers. Weather has played a factor, with wind and rain complicating early stages in northern France, and heat becoming a major test in the south.Beyond the race itself, the Tour remains a cultural event, showcasing the French countryside and drawing millions of viewers globally. It combines elite sport with national pride, tradition, and spectacle.As the peloton heads into the final week, every stage carries enormous weight. A single misstep, mechanical failure, or burst of brilliance could decide who rides into Paris wearing yellow on the Champs-lyses.Whether you're a cycling enthusiast or casual observer, the Tour de France remains a dramatic celebration of athleticism, perseverance, and human spirit.- Ends
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Hindustan Times
15 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Tadej Pogačar shows unrivaled audacity to win his fourth Tour de France title in style
PARIS (AP) — 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. HT Image 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 slick-wet 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. 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 in the near future. 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. 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.' 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. 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. 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. ___ Tour de France coverage: and
Hindustan Times
15 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Tour de France finale brings excitement to Montmartre with a climb to Sacré-Coeur
A cycling frenzy swept through Montmartre on Sunday as tens of thousands of fans greeted Tour de France riders during the final stage of the sport's biggest race. HT Image Hours before the peloton was due to arrive, spectators had already packed the Parisian neighborhood — once bohemian, now bustling with tourists — eager to secure a prime spot to watch riders climb the iconic hill during the final stage of the race. When the peloton finally neared the steep and cobbled Rue Lepic, the area erupted into a deafening roar. The Tour broke with tradition this year as organizers looked to build on the popular success of the Paris Olympic road race. During last year's Olympics, massive crowds lined the streets of Montmartre — the area in northern Paris famous for its artistic heritage and sweeping city views — to cheer on riders. Inspired by the frenetic atmosphere, Tour organizers decided to include the Montmartre climb in this summer's route. And it paid off. Spectators began arriving early Sunday on the Rue Lepic, well before Tadej Pogačar — who won his fourth Tour title on Sunday — and his rivals were expected to tackle the steep ascent. Fans also filled the stairs beneath the Sacré-Coeur to ensure they didn't miss a moment of the action. The festive atmosphere echoed with clapping and songs from enthusiastic fans. 'La, la, la, la, la, la, la Kevin Vauquelin!' chanted some spectators in polka-dot T-shirts winding up Rue Lepic, cheering the French rider best placed in the general classification. Meanwhile, others took to the street on their alpine skis for a moment of fun, having put their winter sports equipment out. Riders ascended the hill three times and passed beneath the Sacré-Coeur basilica before heading to the finish on the Champs-Élysées. Despite the rain making the roads slippery and dangerous, Pogačar attacked on all three ascents but he couldn't respond when stage winner Wout van Aert countered him. The peloton passed the Moulin Rouge before climbing to the Butte Montmartre. To mark the occasion, dancers in tricolor costumes performed a French Cancan outside the cabaret. Traditionally, the final stage is largely processional until a sprint decides the day's winner on the Champs-Elysées. But on Sunday, the final climb came about 7 kilometers from the finish and sprinters could not contend for the stage win. Only five riders were left with Pogačar on the third ascension of the 1.1-kilomete hill. During the Olympics, the road races drew more than 500,000 spectators in Paris. Last year's Tour concluded outside Paris for the first time since 1905 because of a scheduling conflict with the Olympics, with the final stage held in Nice. The Champs-Élysées returned this year for the conclusion of the 3,320-kilometer (2,060-mile) race. ___ AP cycling:
Hindustan Times
15 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Four-time Tour de France winner Pogacar - greatest cyclist of his generation
Tadej Pogacar is cycling's generational great and the Slovenian has silenced any remaining doubters that the sport has found its heir to the great Eddy Merckx. HT Image On his swaggering romp across France on his way to a fourth Tour de France title on Sunday, one could still catch glimpses of the boy desperate to beat his brother in the hills outside Ljubljana. But now Pogacar has also learned to curb some of his gung-ho instincts, which not only lifted him to success at times, but were also behind his rare defeats. In 2024 he won the Giro d'Italia, the Tour de France and the world title, a feat known as cycling's Triple Crown and won only by Merckx in 1974 and Stephen Roche in 1987. Pogacar's dominance of the current scene is without doubt, but the kangaroo courts of social media are asking another question, one that will forever dog cycling -- is Pogacar for real? Pogacar, a proven combative all-rounder capable of taking on mountain climbs as easily as flat sprints, has never tested positive at any time in his career. "I'm a good boy from a good family, taking no short cuts in life," he told AFP. He does indeed appear to be surrounded by a good family, a school teacher mother and a furniture designer father who live in the same village in the hills outside the Slovenian capital where he grew up. He shares a home with his fiance and fellow cyclist Urska Zigart in Monaco when their programmes allow, while his firm friend and off-season traing partner cyclist Michael Matthews of Australia is a near neighbour. "He hasn't changed, he's such a humble guy. He just wants to have fun and enjoy his riding," Matthews said. Pogacar is credited with having recreated that family spirit at his Team UAE, with whom he signed a 54-million-dollar six-year contract last November, according to Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport. Teammate Pavel Sivakov told AFP that Pogacar was easy to deal with and a constantly positive personality. "He's always super relaxed and easy to work with. Mentally he's always focused on the positives. We know he's always going to deliver whatever he can. He's humble and good for the atmosphere in the team," said Sivakov. While most agree there is something boyish about Pogacar, there are signs he has grown up. "This is my sixth Tour de France now, I miss the white jersey," he told reporters, referring to the jersey worn by the best-placed rider aged 26 and under. In taking on his great rival, the two-time Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard, Pogacar has galvanised his team and forced them to control the peloton, leading to accusations of arrogance. "There's a difference between arrogance and trying to win a Tour de France," retorted the man who psyches himself up by listening to Slovenian rapper Drill. He still rides a bike with a sticker of the Incredible Hulk on it, joking: "He's the one you shouldn't make angry." Fellow Slovenian Matej Mohoric, himself a junior world champion and elite rider for the Bahrain Victorious team, said this week that Pogacar was a true great. "He was born with a machine inside him, and he was born with the brain to use that machine," Mohoric said. There will always be doubters, but during his victorious charge across France, Pogacar was already scanning the horizon for the next win. "Unlike a lot of cyclists I haven't booked any holidays, so maybe I'll race the Vuelta," he said of the Spanish Tour, which starts on August 23. He will also be in the Rwandan capital Kigali in September to defend the world road race title. dmc/lp/gj
