After a ceremonial presentation in Thoiry, the riders headed to Paris and the Champs-Élysées for the final stage of the 2026 Tour de France. Owing to the wildfires affecting France and security and police officers having to be redeployed to assist, the route was adapted, with the entire stage taking place in Paris. Riders completed seven laps of the traditional Champs-Élysées circuit before tackling three laps featuring the Côte de la Butte Montmartre, covering a total of 88.7 kilometres.

After more than 3,000 kilometres of racing since the Grand Départ in Barcelona, the stage marked the 116th Tour de France finish in Paris and the 51st on the Champs-Élysées.

The opening laps provided an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the riders who had survived three demanding weeks of racing, with the action beginning in earnest with 75 kilometres remaining when Baptiste Veistroffer (Lotto Intermarché) launched an attack. His moves were quickly neutralised by the fast-moving peloton.

As the race entered its final three laps, the general classification times were taken, and the peloton turned its attention to the Côte de la Butte Montmartre (1km at 6.5%). Xabier Mikel Azparren (Pinarello Q36.5) and Thibault Guernalec (TotalEnergies) were the first to crest the climb, but Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) powered to the front and led the way over the summit.

The gaps after the first ascent were minimal, allowing around 100 riders to regroup ahead of the penultimate lap. On the second ascent of Montmartre, UAE Emirates XRG raised the pace before Tadej Pogačar attacked.

Only Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) was able to follow the race leader to the top. Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) quickly bridged across, before Pedersen joined the select group with 23 kilometres remaining. However, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team responded, and the peloton regrouped with 19 kilometres to go.

Van der Poel made his decisive move on the final ascent of the 2026 Tour de France. Pogačar responded immediately and the pair opened a gap of around 15 seconds over the chasers, with the peloton close behind. Riders from Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, Team Picnic PostNL, and Cofidis also remained in contention.

The advantage steadily diminished to 10 seconds with three kilometres to go to just five seconds as they entered the final kilometre. When Pogačar finally cracked under the pressure, Van der Poel launched one last acceleration with 600 metres remaining. The sprinters closed rapidly, but the Flying Dutchman held on to take a memorable victory. His teammate, Jasper Philipsen, finished second, while Pedersen completed the podium in third.

Pogačar crossed the line in 30th place to secure his fifth overall Tour de France title, adding the 2026 edition to his victories in 2020, 2021, 2024, and 2025. In doing so, he equalled the all-time record of five Tour de France wins held by Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain.

Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) is the first Danish conqueror of the green jersey, and the sixth rider to win the points standings in all three Grand Tours. Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) takes both the polka dot jersey and the Super Combativity award, as he did in 2024. Third overall, Isaac del Toro (UAE Emirates XRG) also takes home the white jersey as the winner of the young rider standings.

Source: letour.fr

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