Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar, 21, is Youngest Tour de France Champion Since 1905

By on 5 min read

The Slovenian kid crushed it at Le Tour. Tadej Pogacar (Team UAE Emirates) made history when he became the first Slovenian winner of the Tour de France. Pogacar secured the yellow jersey on the penultimate day of the 21-stage race when he rode to a victory during a time trial at La Planche des Belles Filles. That marked the third of three stage wins for Pogacar, which included a spectacular victory at the hellacious Grand Colombier in Stage 15.

Tadej Pogacar Slovenia Wins 2020 Tour de France Le
Tadej Pogacar rides into Paris with the yellow jersey as the winner of the 2020 Tour de France. (Image: Christophe Ena/AP)

In June, Pogacar was 16/1 odds to win Le Tour. Before the Grand Depart in Nice, European bookies listed Pogacar at 12/1 odds, while Primoz Roglic was a 3/2 favorite.

At age 21, just a day shy of his 22nd birthday, Pogacar is the second-youngest winner of the Tour de France. Henri Cornet was only 19 when he won the second-ever Le Tour in 1905.

Last year, Egan Bernal (Ineos) from Colombia became the youngest rider to win the Tour de France since World War II at 22-years old.

How did Pogacar Win, Roglic choke?

Pogacar won Stage 9 during a short but punishing ride in the Pyrenees. He chased down Marc Hirschi, who led for the majority of the race. He held off Hirschi and Roglic during a sprint to the finish line at Le Runs. Pogacar won his first stage, but Roglic emerged with the yellow jersey.

A week later, Pogacar won his second stage victory with an impressive win in Stage 15. Mount Colombier, also known Grand Colombier, has four different routes to the summit. Colombier has four distinct sides, which is why the locals referred to it as La Pyramide (or the Pyramid).

By Stage 13, Pogacar finally moved into a podium spot after a strong ride at Puy Mary. He sat in second place and trailed Roglic by 44 seconds. Pogacar remained in second place the entire time in the Alps.

Roglic extended his lead to nearly a full minute after Stage 17 when he finished 15 seconds behind Superman at Meribel. Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) won Stage 17, Roglic took second, while Pogacar finished in third place, 15 seconds behind Roglic.

Roglic retained the malliot jaune until Stage 20. The time trial lasted less than an hour from Lure to La Planche des Belles Filles, but it was the most exciting hour on Le Tour this year.

Pogacar raced the same time trial route three times previously in different competitions and races. He knew every meter of the final climb, and took advantage of his familiarity to make a move on Roglic.

“I knew every corner, every pothole on the road,” said Pogacar. “I knew where to accelerate, because it was a road that you needed to know.”

Pogacar came in a minute behind, but he finished nearly two minutes ahead of Roglic to win Stage 20 and seize the yellow jersey.

“I’m really proud of the team,” said Pogacar. “They did such a big effort on the way to get the yellow jersey on the final day. We were dreaming that from the start and we achieved it.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9xbL3B4zQM

Stage 21: Mantes-la-Jolie > Paris Champs-Elysees

The final stage is more of a formality than anything else because everyone in the GC receives the same finishing time. Riders crack open champagne, share toasts, pose for photos, and drink during the parade before the start at the final stage.

Stage 21 commenced in Mantes-la-Jolie and ended in Paris along the famous Champs-Elysees. The tour has ended at the same spot for the last 45 years.

There will be a sprint to the finish line at the Champs-Elysees. Ireland’s Sam Bennett (DQS) tallied the most sprinting points and secured the green jersey already, but several other riders and teams had yet to win a stage.

LE TOUR STAGE 21 RESULTS
  1. Sam Bennet (DQS) 2:53:32
  2. Mads Pedersen (Trek–Segafredo)
  3. Peter Sagan (Bora–Hansgrohe)

Caleb Ewan won two sprint stages already this September, and he’s seeking his third. He also won the final stage in the 2019 Tour de France. The Australian came into Paris as one of the favorites to win the finale.

Bennett edged out Danish world champ Mads Pedersen (Trek–Segafredo) and Peter Sagan (Bora–Hansgrohe) to win the final stage in Paris. Bennett also locked up his second stage victory and the second win for Ireland on Le Tour. He won the island-hopping leg of the Tour de France with a photo-finish sprint victory in Stage 10.

2020 Tour de France Final Stats

Pogacar secured the yellow jersey as the Tour de France winner. He also snagged the white jersey for being the top young rider, and the coveted polka dot jersey for King of the Mountain. Sam Bennett locked up the green jersey for the top sprinter.

For complete rankings, check out the official page for the Tour de France.

LE TOUR GC FINAL STANDINGS
  1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) +87:20:05
  2. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) +00:59
  3. Richie Porte (Trek-Segafredo) +03:30
  4. Mikel Landa (Bahrain McLaren) +05:58
  5. Enric Mas Nicolau (Movistar Team) +06:07
YOUNG RIDER FINAL STANDINGS
  1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) +87:20:05
  2. Enric Mas (Movistar Team) +6:07
  3. Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ) +1:43:43
KING OF MOUNTAIN STANDINGS
  1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE) 82 points
  2. Richard Carapaz (Ineos) 74 points
  3. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) 67 points
SPRINT FINAL STANDINGS
  1. Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-Quickstep) 380 points
  2. Peter Sagan (Bora–Hansgrohe) 284 points
  3. Matteo Trentin (CCC) 260 points
LE TOUR TEAM RANKINGS
  1. Movistar Team 262:14:58
  2. Jumbo-Visma +18:31
  3. Bahrain-McLaren +57:10
  4. EF Pro Cycling +1:16:43
  5. Ineos Grenadiers +1:32:01

Marc Hirschi (Sunweb) won the Combative Award for the top attacker on Le Tour.

Movistar Team edged out Jumbo-Visma in the team standings.

2020 Le Tour Stage Winners List

This year saw several riders win multiple stages on the Tour de France. Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) won two sprint stages in the first week. Caleb Ewan added two sprint stage wins to his resume as well. Denmark’s Soren Kragh Andersen won a pair of unopposed sprints.

And of course, Tadej Pogacar won the most stages this year with a trio of stage victories in Stage 9, Stage 15, and Stage 20.

List Tour de France Champions (Since 1999)

Four gentlemen are tied with five victories on the Tour de France: Bernard Hinault, Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, and Miguel Indurain.

  • 2020 Tadej Pogacar (Team UAE Emirates)
  • 2019 Egan Bernal (Team Ineos)
  • 2018 Geraint Thomas (Team Sky)
  • 2017 Chris Froome (Team Sky)
  • 2016 Chris Froome (Team Sky)
  • 2015 Chris Froome (Team Sky)
  • 2014 Vincenzo Nibali (Astana)
  • 2013 Chris Froome (Team Sky)
  • 2012 Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky)
  • 2011 Cadel Evans (BMC Racing)
  • 2010 Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank)
  • 2009 Alberto Contador (Astana)
  • 2008 Carlos Sastre (CSC)
  • 2007 Alberto Contador (Discovery Channel)
  • 2006 Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d’Epargne–Illes Balears)
  • 2005 Lance Armstrong (Discovery Channel)
  • 2004 Lance Armstrong (USPS)
  • 2003 Lance Armstrong (USPS)
  • 2002 Lance Armstrong (USPS)
  • 2001 Lance Armstrong (USPS)
  • 2000 Lance Armstrong (USPS)
  • 1999 Lance Armstrong (USPS)

Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France seven years in a row between 1999 and 2005. Organizers have since stripped him of his titles for EPO usage. American Floyd Landis won the 2006 Tour de France, but he too was stripped.

Three-time champion Greg LeMond (1986, 1989, 1990) continues to be the only American to win Le Tour.

For more coverage of Tour de France, check out our dedicated page for cycling and betting.

Related Posts

Load More