Pogacar matches Merckx and Indurain with fifth Tour de France title

Pogacar's record-equaling fifth Tour victory

Tadej Pogacar joined Eddy Merckx, Miguel Indurain, Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault as the only riders to win five Tour de France titles after Sunday's 21st and final stage in Paris. The 27-year-old Slovenian finished 6 minutes 26 seconds ahead of Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel in the overall standings, with UAE Team Emirates teammate Isaac Del Toro of Mexico placing third in his Tour debut at age 22.

Pogacar took five stage wins at this edition, lifting his career Tour tally to 26. He still needs 10 more to surpass Mark Cavendish's all-time Tour record of 35. His single-Tour best remains six stage wins, set in 2024.

A weakened field and a dominant margin

Jonas Vingegaard, the Danish rider who won the Tour in 2022 and 2023 and once split his early rivalry with Pogacar at two titles apiece, crashed out on the 15th stage. Even before the crash, Vingegaard had mustered little challenge, wearing the yellow jersey only briefly after his Visma-Lease a Bike squad won the opening team time trial in Barcelona. He had earlier this season won the Giro d'Italia and last September claimed the Spanish Vuelta.

Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz, the 2019 Giro winner, scored two mountain stage wins but finished 20 minutes behind Pogacar overall, limiting the threat he can mount in future editions.

The next generation of challengers

Evenepoel, 26 and a two-time Olympic champion, appears the most credible rival, capable of beating Pogacar in time trials and young enough to improve in the mountains. His Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe squad must decide whether to build around him or German climber Florian Lipowitz, who finished third on last year's Tour.

French hopes rest on 19-year-old Paul Seixas, who placed fourth on his Tour debut, and 23-year-old Lenny Martinez, an excellent climber who finished fifth overall. Seixas's debut came 41 years after the last of Hinault's wins.

Anti-doping scrutiny and the road ahead

This year's race made headlines when Pogacar and Vingegaard were subjected to unannounced anti-doping tests, including early-morning visits. Pogacar has won the Tour de Suisse and the Tour de Romandie this season, alongside one-day classics, but unlike Vingegaard, Hinault, Anquetil and Merckx he has yet to win the Spanish Vuelta, which would complete a hat-trick of Grand Tour victories.

Asked after Sunday's finale whether he would ride La Vuelta in a few weeks, Pogacar replied teasingly: "Let's see."

Philadelphia Cycling Classic set for August return

Separately, the Philadelphia Cycling Classic is set to return in August 2026, according to Visit Philadelphia, adding another marquee one-day event to the North American racing calendar.