Cycling

Pogacar makes poker at the Tour, Van Aert takes the final stage

Tadej Pogacar dominated the Tour de France with lightness and determination, defying cycling history

27 July 2025

5' min read

The fourth time for Tadej Pogacar. The Slovenian phenomenon makes poker at the Tour and puts another yellow jersey in his trophy cabinet, at the age of 27. The only 'blemish' on this day of triumph is that Tadej would probably have also wanted to win the last stage, 132 kilometres to go with the Olympic circuit in Paris and La Butte Montmartre to be climbed three times, almost a classic and therefore an ideal hunting ground for the rainbow winner. Only this time he was surprised by someone who knows as much about the subject as he does, that Wout Van Aert, still without a win in this Tour but who in the past, always here, had put together nine. With six kilometres to go, he took off right on the cobbles of Montmartre, starting on the counter-attack after Pogacar himself had tried to leave in progression. The Belgian's sprint surprised everyone and for him in the end there was the deserved glory of the day.

At the end of this Tour, to which Pogacar has affixed his fourth seal (after 2020, 2021 and 2024), it is nevertheless inevitable to think how far this phenomenon, to whom almost everything seems easy and who has already engraved himself in the history of cycling, still has to go.

The Slovenian, unlike Vingegaard, for the fourth time second (+4'24"), is in fact still young. On 21 September he will be 27 years old, an age at which one usually enters the best period of one's career. Continuing at this pace he can climb any peak. Maybe in quantity he won't catch up with the terrible Eddy Merckx (525 victories), but he could already be breathing down his neck if, in 2026, he wins the Tour for the fifth time and enters the magic circle of the five (Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault, Indurain). At that point, he would have within his grasp the possibility of reaching that absolute record (6 Grande Boucle) that only Lance Armstrong (7) had touched so far, but which was then, due to doping degradation, rightly removed from the roll of honour.

Pogacar more or less did what he wanted. The long-awaited duel with Vingegaard actually went off immediately in the Hautacam stage followed shortly afterwards by the deadly Peyragudes time trial. A powerful one-two, combined with the 100th victory in Rouen (now 104) and the encore on the wall of Brittany, that crushed not only Vingegaard, but also the Tour itself, overwhelmed by the overwhelming power of a champion who laid down the law on all terrain: uphill, time trial, on the pass and even in certain sprints that are naturally forbidden for sprinters.

A duel ended in the Pyrenees

In the Alps, due to bad weather and a persistent cold, Pogacar pulled the brake running in a way that is not usual for him, being a fighter by nature. A pedantic accountant's check, to which Vingegaard did not react, cast a grey patina over the race. None of the supposed big boys, except for one unsuccessful Roglic, ever tried to challenge his majesty, already comfortable on the throne surrounded by the zealous Uae squires.

In this sense, the Tour itself has lost bite. As in Merckx's time, even with Pogacar, in the grand tours, no one has the courage to oppose his hegemony anymore. Fearing the worst, of being punished for brazenness, the other leaders prefer to stay in the kennel, content with a mediocre placing. We are not talking about a thoroughbred like Van Der Poel, a fantastic stage hunter, but about captains who aspire to the podium. No one raises his head, no one tries to come up with anything. In this cycling, in the Grand Tours, a 'devil' like Chiappucci, who did not even fear Indurain, no longer exists. The Sestriere feat of 1992 now seems impossible. Of course with Pogacar it's like touching electric wires, but something has to be invented. It is no coincidence that the monumental classics, where a generation of other champions such as Van Der Poel, Evenepoel, and Van Aert make life more difficult for the Slovenian, who has already won nine (2 Flanders, 3 Liège, 4 Lombardia). He is only missing the San Remo and Roubaix. Quite a haul if you add the world championship and everything else (103 victories), which is no small feat.

Speaking of the rainbow title: the next world championships will take place in Rwanda (24 September), a special event that Tadej is certainly keen on for a nice encore that would complete his season with the grand finale of Lombardia. Very unlikely then that he will take part in the next Vuelta, also because of the way he arrived in reserve in Paris.

Tadej's choices

Although still young, Pogacar is already making choices. He looks ahead. At times, he even gives the feeling of running not so much against his contemporaries but against cycling history itself. As if he wanted to rewrite it, in his own way though.

Pogacar is not like Merckx who, in order to win, would finish exhausted at the finish line. And who wore himself out until doctors forced him to retire. Tadej, apart from being the most determined and the most gifted, is the diamond of a generation that is very different from the previous ones. A generation that also knows how to have fun, is very connected and digital, speaks several languages and confronts opponents without the harshness of yesteryear, when great rivalries inflamed racing. They lose and win without swearing revenge, with a lightness that sometimes amazes. Even with Vingegaard, although there is no great sympathy, there have never been any real sparks. A few dirty looks, some innuendo, but nothing more. The Dane, although second, is however the real loser. He only makes the Tour, but behind Pogacar. Only once, at la Plagne, did he finish ahead of him. But without winning the stage. Good third place for the German Lipowitz (+11'09") and fourth place for the Scot Onley (12'12")

A phenomenon on the bike, normal in life

On a private level, Tadej does not give much to write or talk about. Gossip slips past him. Engaged to Urska Zigart, with whom he lives in Monte Carlo, also a professional cyclist, he leads a very simple life when he is not racing. They often train together, cook together (favourite dish is carbonara), watch films and TV series together. A life of a university student studying abroad, not that of an 8 million a year super champion with a contract with Uae until 2030.

Another of Pogacar's qualities is that he does not let the pressure get to him. He sleeps, eats, plays darts, without stressing more than necessary. He still lives cycling as a passion, a beautiful game that is taking him further and further, where he may not even know it. Provided that this magical lightness stays with him like his yellow jerseys. Which so far number 54. Within reach is Froome with 59. But at the summit, far away, there is always that Eddy Merckx (111) who will forever remain his true and inexorable adversary.

Italians, only Milan

Finally, a few words about the Italians. Starting with eleven, we were immediately left without Ganna, the only true excellence of our cycling. We have to thank Jonathan Milan, a giant from Friuli (1.94 cm), who, by winning two stages (plus two second places) and fighting for bonuses in the sprint finishes, took the green jersey in the points classification. It was not easy. Because the Tour is a devil's race. Where only 12 came within an hour of Pogacar. Of other Italians we had no news, except for poor Simone Velasco, combative but unlucky as Donald Duck. Italian cycling is in an unprecedented crisis. And young two-wheeled Sinners are nowhere to be seen on the horizon.