The Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) signed his second Tour de France in a row this Sunday in the 21st and final stage held over 115.1 kilometers between Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines and the Champs-Élysées in Paris, where he won in a Belgian Jordi Meeus (Bora-Hansgrohe) had a nice four-way sprint.
Vingegaard, 26, repeated his victory after three weeks of fighting with the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), who pushed until Saturday to at least get even with his unexpected bird on Wednesday on the Col de la Loze.
Jumbo-Visma was once again the best team and also led the way at the entrance to the Elysées circuit. Vingegaard enjoyed his triumphant ride, without further ado in an intense edition like the one-on-one with Pogacar who continues to reign in the peloton. The Dane, who confirmed this Sunday his presence in the Vuelta a España, leads the way.
Pogacar had to settle for that victory at Le Markstein Fellering, where he got even for the downturn that cost him the Tour. It remained in doubt if he did not give him the bellows to fight Vingegaard or if his broken wrist in Liège-Bastogne-Liège in April was not yet ready for three weeks of daily battle. However, Pogacar kept the second step of the podium, with his teammate Adam Yates, third.
The final day was quiet. The Italian Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) went first through the Côte du Pavé des Gardes (4th, km 42.8) to celebrate his victory in the mountains classification and with the entrance to the Champs Elysées, 56 kilometers from goal, the attacks began, with Pogacar trying one last attempt.
The Jumbo did not leave its biggest rival alone and the breakaway was neutralized with 33 kilometers to go. With 30 kilometers to go, a new escape was forged with Simon Clarke (Israel-PremierTech), Frederik Frison (Lotto-dstny) and Nelson Oliveira (Movistar Team), but they were caught 10 kilometers later.
Thus, the best-known sprint in the world entered the scene, with an unpredictable attack that ended with four bikes at the same time, and a ‘photo finish’ to reveal Meeus’ victory, ahead of fellow Belgian Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), the Dutch Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla) and the Danish Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek).
Thus ended a tough Tour for the Spanish team Movistar Team, who lost their leader and main asset for the general classification, Enric Mas, on the first day due to a hard fall, and finished the gala round with four riders. The 37th place of the best classified in the general, Gorka Izagirre, is the worst best position of a cyclist of the structure of Eusebio Unzué in Paris since 1987.
Tadej Pogacar took the youth classification for the fourth consecutive time and the Belgian Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) was champion on points. The best Spaniard overall was Carlos Rodríguez (Ineos Grenadiers), fifth after fighting many days for the podium, while Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) was sixth, both just over 13 minutes from yellow.
classifications -Stage:
1. Jordi Meeus (BEL/Bora-Hansgrohe) 02:56:13.
2. Jasper Philipsen (BEL/Alpecin-Deceuninck) m.t.
3. Dylan Groenewegen (NER/Jayco-AlUla) m.t.
4. Mads Pedersen (DIN(Lidl-Trek) m.t.
5. Cees Bol (NER/Astana Qazaqstan) m.t.
-General:
1. Jonas Vingegaard (DIN/Jumbo-Visma) 82:05:42.
2. Tadej Pogacar (ESL/UAE Team Emirates) at 7:29.
3. Adam Yates (GBR/UAE Team Emirates) 10:56.
4. Simon Yates (GBR/Jayco-AlUla) 12:23.
5. Carlos Rodríguez (ESP/Ineos Grenadiers) 13:17.
6. Pello Bilbao (ESP/Bahrain Victorious) 13:27.