Pogačar wins fifth Tour de France, tying record

Tadej Pogačar secured his place among cycling’s greatest legends on July 26, 2026, winning the Tour de France for a record-equaling fifth time. The 27-year-old Slovenian rider finished the grueling three-week race with a commanding overall lead of six minutes and 26 seconds, joining an exclusive club of five-time winners: Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain.

Pogačar’s victory, his third consecutive Tour title, was sealed long before the ceremonial final stage in Paris. He seized the race leader’s yellow jersey on the sixth stage and never relinquished it, dominating the competition with a combination of explosive mountain attacks and consistent time gains. His performance included five stage wins, highlighted by a record-breaking ascent of the legendary Alpe d’Huez on stage 19, where he set a new benchmark time for the climb.

The path to his historic fifth crown was altered when his primary rival, two-time champion Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark, crashed out of the race with a broken collarbone on stage 15. However, Pogačar had already built a lead of over four minutes prior to Vingegaard’s abandonment. The final podium was rounded out by Belgian...