- Tadej Pogačar dominates the Tour de France to claim the Yellow Jersey by 4'24” over Jonas Vingegaard
- 5 stage wins for the Emirati team across 3-weeks of famous racing
News | Team – 30th July 2025
As the curtain falls on cycling's greatest stage, UAE Team Emirates-XRG stand tall once again. A fourth Tour de France title in six years. 5 stage wins. And a performance that reaffirmed their place at the summit of the sport.
The 2025 edition began on home soil for the French for the first time since 2021, but by Stage 4, the spotlight was on one man and one team. In the rolling hills of northern France, UAE Team Emirates-XRG took control. Jhonatan Narvaez and Joao Almeida did the damage early, thinning out the field before setting up Pogačar for the decisive move which only Vingegaard could follow. After a brief regroup on the descent, Almeida laid down one final turn, and Pogačar rose to the occasion, sealing career win number 100. An unforgettable milestone. The Maillot Jaune. A statement made.
There was little time to reflect as Stage 5 brought the first Individual Time Trial, and with it, a key test of Pogačar's all-round form. As expected, Remco Evenepoel was quickest on the day, but Pogačar rode a near-flawless race to finish just 16” back, and more than a minute ahead of Vingegaard. It was another message to his rivals, with any time trial doubts after the Dauphine firmly put to bed.
The next flashpoint came on Stage 7, with a sharp finish on Mur-de-Bretagne. Again, Narvaez was at the front, delivering a textbook lead-out. Pogačar powered to a second stage win. But the day brought misfortune too, as key mountain domestique Joao Almeida was forced to withdraw after a late crash. A major loss, but UAE Team Emirates-XRG were able to keep going.
As the race headed into the Pyrenees, UAE Team Emirates-XRG took command once more. On Stage 12, Nils Politt controlled the early tempo, while Narvaez set a ferocious pace into the foot of the final climb. Pogačar launched his attach with perfect timing, and Vingegaard couldn't hold the wheel. Another stage win. Yellow back on his shoulders.
The very next day, a mountain time trial on Peyragudes. New bike, new kit, same result. Fastest at every time check, Pogačar executed an exceptional ride to extend his lead to over four minutes, showcasing complete control over the rest of the GC field.
After the second rest day came Mont Ventoux. One of the sport's most iconic climbs. Visma Lease-a-Bike knew they were running out of time in the fight for Tour de France glory, sending two riders up the road to gain a tactical edge on UAE Team Emirates-XRG. Jonas Vingegaard launched a series of attacks, bridging the gaps to his teammates, piling the pressure on the Pogačar. Despite their best efforts, the Slovenian Superstar was equal to every move, refusing to leave the Dane's wheel. The pair crossed the line together after delivering an era-defining performance on this famed mountain. The GC battle was well and truly alive, but the gap untouched.
As the race approached its climax, one final Alpine test awaited, the last true battleground of the 2025 Tour. For Visma Lease-a-Bike, it was last chance saloon. Their domestiques emptied the tank from the very start, launching wave after wave of assault in a bid to crack the Maillot Jaune. However, in true Pogačar fashion, with 14KM to go, he made his move. A decisive, stinging acceleration that split the favourites and lit up the final ascent. Only Jonas Vingegaard could follow, and the pair surged clear, poised for a two-up fight for the stage. However, with Vingegaard refusing to work and the GC secured, Pogačar eased off, unwilling to take unnecessary risks with a fourth Tour title in sight. That hesitation left the door ajar for Thymen Aresnman of INEOS Grenadiers, who bridged the gap to the Pogačar group to attack and go clear to claim his second stage win of the race. For Vingegaard and Pogačar, the war was over. The Tour had been won.
Stage 21 brought with it a twist on tradition. The final day in Paris would still end on the Champs-Élysées, but this year, it featured a punishing detour up Montmarte. The first part of the stage was a celebration, a parade for the champions. But as the peloton approached the final circuits, UAE Team Emirates-XRG took up the reins, making clear that their leader had one more attack in him. The puncheurs came to the fore as the riders hit Montmarte with 40KM to go, and it was French legend Alaphilippe who made the first move, attacking hard near the summit. Only 27 riders remained in contention by the second ascent. This time, it was the Yellow Jersey of Pogačar on the front, splitting the race once more. On the final climb of the Tour, he made one last push – not for yellow, but for Champs-Élysées glory. Wout van Aert held the wheel, then countered. The Belgian great surged clear to take a well-earned victory, leaving Pogačar to cross the line, not as the stage winner, but as the Tour de France champion. Dressed head to toe in yellow, he was greeted by a standing ovation on the streets of Paris.
At just 26, Tadej Pogačar continues to re-write the rule book. Not just with the results he produces, but with the manner that he does it. Calm under pressure. Sharp on the hill. Flawless in the mountains. The best rider in the world, delivering once again when it matters most.
Another Tour de France title. Another milestone. And still, the feeling that there's more to come from the best rider the sport has ever seen.
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