[ritchiebaby]

Well, my predictions were just like my school reports - tries hard, but could do better. Pog and Vin didn't let me down, but that was to be expected. Visma hung in there to finish 2nd in the team, Pedersen got a sick note to go home early in the Points and Gall just scraped into the points chart for KOM. Carlos Rodriguez finished 7th in GC and Jai Hindley in 18th. Wout van Aert was always in the mix but obviously not at his best, a distant 52nd.

A special mention from me for local lad Oscar Onley who finished a creditable 39th in GC, aided by an excellent 5th place on Stage 17.

[themaclad]

Tadej Pogacar sealed a sensational Tour de France-Giro d'Italia double by winning the stage 21 time trial into Nice.

The UAE Team Emirates rider finished the Tour with a sixth stage victory and became the first man to win cycling's two biggest races in the same year since Italian Marco Pantani in 1998.

The Tour's finale was held outside of Paris for the first time since 1903 as the French capital prepares to host the Olympics.

Wearing the yellow jersey Slovenia's Pogacar, 25, finished the stage 63 seconds clear of second-placed Jonas Vingegaard.

The win secured his third Tour de France title, extending his lead over nearest rival and two-time winner Vingegaard, of Visma–Lease a Bike, to six minutes and 17 seconds.

"I cannot describe how happy I am," said Pogacar.

"After two hard years in the Tour de France, this year everything went to perfection."

Tour debutant Remco Evenepoel, riding for Soudal–Quick-Step, finished third on the stage and completed the general classification podium, nine minutes and 18 seconds behind Pogacar.

The 2024 edition will also be remembered for Mark Cavendish's record 35th stage victory in Saint Vulbas in the opening week.

After completing the final stage, the legendary British sprinter said this year's Tour is likely to have been his last race.

Tour de France 'likely' to be final race - Cavendish

As well as two Grand Tours Pogacar has also won the Classics Liege–Bastogne–Liege and Strade Bianche this season

Pogacar dominated this year's Tour de France - becoming the first rider to win six stages in a single edition since Cavendish in 2009.

He also spent 19 days in the yellow jersey, holding it exclusively from stage four.

This year's Tour was arguably won on stage 15 where, already ahead by almost two minutes, Pogacar stormed to victory on a gruelling climb up to Plateau de Beille to extend his lead over Vingegaard by another 69 seconds.

Four days later he had overall victory wrapped up, ascending to Isola 2000 where he put a further one minute and 42 seconds into his nearest rivals.

The Slovenian looked a level above Vingegaard, who he finished second behind at the last two editions, with the Dane still recovering from a broken collarbone and ribs suffered in April.

But even a fully fit Vingegaard would have struggled to match Pogacar's pace.

His Tour de France dominance matches his performance at this year's Giro d'Italia, where he blew away the competition to win by nine minutes and 56 seconds.

"Already it would have been an incredible year, but to win the Tour de France is another level," added Pogacar.

"To win both together is another level above that level."

In July Pogacar said he was "99% sure" he would not compete at this year's Vuelta a Espana, where he could become the first ever rider to win all three Grand Tours in the same calendar year.

He will represent Slovenia in the men's road race at the Olympics in Paris on 3 August.

Only Pogacar won more stages than Biniam Girmay in this year's race

By finishing safely in Nice, sprinter Biniam Girmay made history - becoming the first black African winner of the Tour de France points classification.

He had a sensational race. On day three he became the first Eritrean to win a stage at the Tour, and he went on to record two more victories - on stage eight and stage 12.

The green jersey winner, 24, was one of only six black African riders in the top-level WorldTour peloton of 534 in 2023, the year he made his Tour de France debut.

The 'African king' has battled through visa issues and loneliness since he moved to Europe six years ago.

The King of the Mountains classification was won by Richard Carapaz while Belgian Evenepoel, 24, claimed the white jersey as the best rider in the general classification under the age of 25.

Stage 21 results
Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) 45mins 24secs

Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) +1min 03secs

Remco Evenepoel (Bel/Soudal- Quick Step) +1min 14secs

Matteo Jorgenson (USA/Visma-Lease a Bike) +2mins 08secs

Joao Almeida (Por/UAE Team Emirates) +2mins 18secs

Derek Gee (Can/Israel- Premier Tech) +2mins 31secs

Mikel Landa (Spa/Soudal-Quick Step) +2mins 41 secs

Harold Tejada (Col/Astana Qazaqstan Team) +2mins 50 secs

Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain - Victorious) +2mins 53secs

Adam Yates (GB/UAE Team Emirates) +2mins 56secs

Final general classification standings
Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) 83hrs 38mins 56secs

Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) +6mins 17secs

Remco Evenepoel (Bel/Soudal- Quick Step) +9mins 18secs

Joao Almeida (Por/UAE Team Emirates) +19mins 03secs

Mikel Landa (Spa/Soudal-Quick Step) +20mins 06secs

Adam Yates (GB/UAE Team Emirates) +24mins 07secs

Carlos Rodriguez (Spa/Ineos Grenadiers) +25mins 04secs

Matteo Jorgenson (USA/Visma-Lease a Bike) +26mins 34secs

Derek Gee (Can/Israel- Premier Tech) +27mins 21secs

Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain - Victorious) +29mins 03secs





FIN