Tour de France 2025: Paret-Peintre thrills home fans as Pogacar resists Vingegaard attacks
The Soudal-Soudal Quick-Step rider had to dig deep to edge out Ireland's Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) on the line to secure only his second Grand Tour victory – following a triumph in last year's Giro d'Italia – with Colombian Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain-Victorious) finishing four seconds back on the top two.
Yellow jersey holder Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard fought an enthralling battle up the iconic 15km climb as the second-placed Dane attacked on four separate occasions but was unable to drop the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider.
In the end, Pogacar came home fifth on the 'Giant of Provence', two seconds ahead of Vingegaard, with the Slovenian extending his overall lead to 4 minutes and 15 seconds. Germany's Florian Lipowitz is in third, more than nine minutes off the pace.
There was more frustration for two-time winner Vingegaard when he crashed into a photographer after the stage finished.
'[He] just ran straight out of in front of me, straight after the finish line. I don't know what he was doing,' said the 2022 and 2023 champion. 'I went down. I think people in the finish area, they should use their eyes a bit more.'
Vingegaard insisted he would continue to fight Pogacar all the way for the title. 'I was feeling very good today, so happy with the feeling today, and happy with the attacks I tried to do,' he said.
'I didn't gain any time today but I take a lot of motivation. 'He [Pogacar] followed me every time I attacked, and I followed him when he attacked.
'So I don't know if I could see any weaknesses today. But at least it gives me some motivation how good I felt today. And as I said earlier, I will keep trying.'
In what was one of the most exciting breakaway days in recent Tour memory, Paret-Peintre came out on top and secured the first French win at the summit of Ventoux for 23 years and only the fifth of all time.
'I honestly didn't believe it,' he said. 'I thought Pogacar would go for victory today. But when we built a real gap, I told myself, you can't let a win on Mont Ventoux slip through your fingers.'
Meanwhile, Mathieu van der Poel's Tour de France is over after the 2023 world champion was diagnosed with pneumonia, his team Alpecin-Deceuninck announced on Tuesday.
The Dutch rider was taken to hospital on Monday after cold symptoms worsened and he failed to make it to the start line for Stage 16.
Van der Poel had edged out Pogacar in a sprint finish to win Stage 2 and had worn the yellow jersey for four days but had fallen one hour and 40 minutes behind the leader by the end of Sunday's Stage 15.
'Mathieu had been showing symptoms of a cold for several days, but yesterday afternoon his condition deteriorated significantly. In the evening, he developed a fever and was taken to Narbonne hospital for tests,' the Belgian team said.
'Medical tests revealed that Mathieu was suffering from pneumonia. In consultation with the medical staff, it was decided that he cannot continue the race. His health is the priority.'
Stage 17 should be one for the sprinters as Tim Merlier hopes to add to his two stage wins and current green jersey holder Jonathan Milan also targets a second win at the 700m straight run to the finish line at Valence.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Khaleej Times
14 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Meet cyclist riding Tour de France Femmes to raise funds for leukaemia cure
What began as a personal journey of strength and survival has transformed into a powerful mission of hope, inclusion, and advocacy — all powered by two wheels. Meet Imke Abma, a 48-year-old Dutch expat who has called Ras Al Khaimah home for the past 18 years. She's the only cyclist representing the UAE in a group of 16 women from around the world — ranging from their mid-20s to early 50s — who are cycling every stage of the Tour de France Femmes, which kicked off on Saturday (July 26) and will run until August 3. But this isn't a race for medals. Imke and her team are not competing in the annual cycling race for women. Instead, they're cycling to raise awareness and funds for Cure Leukaemia, a UK-based charity supporting children battling blood cancer across the globe. Imke, who is currently in France, told Khaleej Times that her passion for the cause was deeply personal — shaped by two life-altering experiences: the loss of her husband's young cousin, Dean Clark, to leukaemia; and her own daughter's life-threatening battle with a congenital heart condition. Her daughter, Mary, now 11, was diagnosed at just seven months old with Atrioventricular Septal Defect (AVSD), a severe congenital heart defect that required urgent surgery. With no viable treatment available in the UAE at the time, the family flew to Singapore on the first flight available on Christmas Eve in 2014 for life-saving surgery. 'Thanks to the support of the most incredible community in the UAE, we found our way to Singapore where Mary underwent open-heart surgery,' Imke told Khaleej Times. 'She turned 11 last May and she's going strong.' From fitness to advocacy Imke's cycling journey began about three years ago as a personal fitness goal. Starting with local triathlons, she eventually qualified for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Scotland through the Spinneys Dubai 92 race. What started as a way to stay active soon grew into something far more meaningful. 'I realised I could do more with the strength I was building. I wanted to focus on inclusion and support — especially encouraging more women, families, and children to get into cycling,' she explained. That desire led her to join Ride For Unity, a global movement using cycling as a tool to bridge divides and foster human connection. Through the initiative, Imke reconnected with Angela Bannon, a fellow cyclist and former Ras Al Khaimah resident, who introduced her to a charity ride for Cure Leukaemia — a mission that immediately resonated. Now, alongside a diverse group of passionate amateur women cyclists from the USA, England, and the UAE, Imke is riding each stage of the Tour de France Femmes ahead of the pros. 'Some are ex-professionals, some high-level amateurs, and others simply passionate cyclists — all united by the same purpose. Many have personal connections to children battling blood cancer.' Conquering peaks for a cause To prepare for the challenge, Imke completed one of the toughest endurance feats in cycling: Everesting Jebel Jais. She cycled up the UAE's tallest mountain seven times in one day, achieving an elevation gain of 8,848 metres — the height of the world's tallest peak, Mount Everest. Her dedication caught the attention of students at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK), who produced a moving video documenting her mission. Imke credits much of her strength to her family, especially her husband, Paul Clark, who works as a general manager in RAK. 'He supports me through all my cycling challenges. We're both active people — his passion is off-roading and desert marshalling — and we support each other in our sportive interests. I'm very grateful for his love and support.' During the Tour de France Femmes, her husband and daughter have been by her side in a camper van, cheering her on every step of the way. 'It's become a family journey," she said. "A way of showing Mary that strength comes in many forms — and that community, love, and determination can change lives,' Imke shared. Imke, who is also the UAE Hub Director of Ride For Unity, will return to Ras Al Khaimah on August 5. For her, cycling is no longer just a sport — it's a form of storytelling, advocacy, and solidarity. 'Research is urgently needed to improve survival rates for children with blood cancer. Cycling has given me a voice to amplify that message — and a sense of purpose I never expected to find on a bicycle," she said.
Khaleej Times
19 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE Team Emirates star Pogacar on cusp of 4th Tour de France title
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar was left standing on the cusp of a fourth Tour de France title as Alpecin rider Kaden Groves won Saturday's stage 20 after a long-range escape that saw the Australian finish well ahead of the big guns. Runaway overall race leader Pogacar maintained his lead over Danish rival Jonas Vingegaard ahead of Sunday's 21st and final stage in Paris. The UAE Team Emirates rider has a 4min 24sec advantage heading into what could be a tricky finale, a 132km ride from Mantes-la-Ville to the Champs-Elysees, but featuring three ascents of the cobbled streets of Montmartre. A fourth title now looms for Pogacar who said after a dominant ride across the peaks and plains of France he felt he's won. "It's starting to sink in," said the 26-year-old, who previously won the sport's most prestigious cycling stage race in 2020, 2021 and 2024. "Tomorrow, all being well, I'll be celebrating with my team," added a weary Pogacar. "This has been another level of hard, all the way. I enjoyed it though and I'm really looking forward to the last day tomorrow." Pogacar refused to rule out a tilt at a fifth stage win if he could escape up the climbs to Montmartre. "We'll see how we feel and how the others act, maybe we'll try something in Montmartre." The champion-in-waiting was left shaking his head after almost getting taken down in a fall 500m from the line on Saturday as lashing rain made the roads hazardous on the run in to Pontarlier. This was a third stage win for Alpecin after Jasper Philipsen and Mathieu van der Poel took the two opening wins. "They gave me a free role in the final days," Groves said after both Philipsen and Van der Poel pulled out. "I'm going to enjoy this one and celebrate with my team and enjoy the Champs tomorrow." Just 158 riders crossed the rolling hills at the foot of the Jura and many looked haggard after the fast racing in the Alps. So along the Swiss border, most of the peloton seemed happy to let an escape get a 7min lead after an exhausting slog that started July 5. Pogacar has dominated the 2025 Tour winning stages on rolling runs in the north and west at Rouen and the Mur de Bretagne in the first week, then on the mountain slopes of the Pyrenees on the Hautacam and Peyragudes in week two. As the Tour entered its end game Pogacar unexpectedly sat tight to protect his lead through the Alps rather go on his trademark all out attacks. Vingegaard, the 2022 and 2023 Tour champion, had two off days, first on a time trial and secondly at Hautacam, leaving Pogacar to surge into a lead he never looked like surrendering. Pogacar said he'd be back on the bike by Tuesday. "I travel home Monday. Tuesday I'll be going out for a ride with friends, stop somewhere for a coffee and start enjoying the summer, I've earned it." Pogacar returns to competitive action in September at Kigali, Rwanda, in defence of his world title. A boyish Pogacar first won the Tour as a break out star in 2020 with one of sport's great last-gasp turnarounds on stage 20. He followed up a year later with a crushing triumph, but the emergence of Vingegaard's patient long game earned the Dane the yellow jersey in the two following editions. Then Pogacar blew everyone away in a mighty 2024 season with a colossal racing programme, winning the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and world championships titles. Having extended his efforts into the all-in one-day classics season in 2025, his stamina was a question mark, but on Sunday that barrier also appears set to be breached.
Al Etihad
a day ago
- Al Etihad
Tadej Pogačar finishes third on final Tour de France mountain stage
PARIS (AGENCIES) On the final day in the mountains at this year's Tour de France, Tadej Pogačar did not flinch in his defence of the Yellow Jersey. Finishing third across the line at La Plagne, the Slovenian did not even come under attack on the last climb, such was the pace that he set at the front of the favourites' group. Unable to put the UAE Team Emirates-XRG man under pressure on the last summit finish of the race, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) sprinted around Pogačar for second at the line, with Ineos Grenadiers' Thymen Arensman taking a well-earned victory after his speculative attack from the GC group. The Dutch climber becomes the only rider to take a stage win in both the Pyrenees and the Alps at this year's Tour. Content to set a defensive tempo up the final climb to La Plagne, Pogačar did not chase down Arensman or follow his stage-winning attack. Instead, the 26-year-old sapped the morale of his opponents and crossed the line with his race lead remaining well more than four minutes. Only two stages stand between the world champion and a fourth Tour de France victory. As for Pogačar, the Yellow Jersey took third place on the day and will now turn his attention to the final two stages of this year's race. With an advantage of well over four minutes in the GC, Pogačar can be confident, but as he stated in his post-race interview, this is no time to become complacent. Pogačar said, 'We did a very good job until the last climb, and then some teams and riders think they can sprint the 19km of the climb. The pace was incredibly high at the start, and then I was thinking that maybe Jonas [Vingegaard] would want to win the stage also. But in the end, he was just holding on to my wheel.
