Escape Collective·3 min read·medium
Van der Poel wins extraordinary Tour finale after yellow jersey rampage on stage 21
K
Kit Nicholson
✦AI Summary
Mathieu van der Poel won the final stage of the 2026 Tour de France in a dramatic finish on the Champs-Élysées. Tadej Pogačar secured his fifth overall Tour de France title during the event.
Why it matters
The Tour de France is the premier event in professional cycling, and this finish is being cited as one of the most exciting in the race's history.
No sooner had Mathieu van der Poel crossed the line to win stage 21 of the Tour de France on the Champs-Élysées, than pundits and fans started throwing around the words 'best ever finale' – and they may just be right.
sports
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