Vingegaard held a huge lead over arch rival Tadej Pogacar going into the final day.
Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard has won the Tour de France for the second year in a row as cycling’s most successful race ended on the famous Champs-Elysees.
With a big lead created by the main rival Tadej Pogacar, the winner of 2020 and 2021, Vingegaard knew that the victory was also his before reaching the ceremonial stage at the end of the 110th edition of the Tour on Sunday.
Vingegaard drank champagne with his Jumbo-Visma teammates as they lined up together and posed for pictures on the way to Paris.
It was a three-week journey of over 3,405km (2,116 miles) with eight mountain stages across five mountains. Vingegaard won the race in two stages in the Alps.
King Yellow! 💛
The @MaillotjauneLCL about #TDF2023 ! pic.twitter.com/mtCG3gRY1n
– Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 23, 2023
Little separated the rivals until Vingegaard finished the time trial one minute, 38 seconds ahead of Pogacar on Tuesday and followed it up the next day by finishing the toughest part of the race nearly six minutes ahead of his tired rival.
“I’m gone, I’m dead,” Pogacar said.
The Slovenian rider responded by winning Saturday’s final stage, but Vingegaard still had an unassailable lead of seven minutes, 29 seconds to go – the traditional stage where the runners compete at the finish line.
“We have to be careful not to do anything stupid,” warned Vingegaard on Saturday, “but yes, it’s amazing to take my second victory in the Tour de France”.
Oh! #Vingegaard he did it again! The first Dane to win #TourDeFrance twice! He is so amazing 💛 I am so happy – thank you 💛 pic.twitter.com/3j8qH7aewO
– Margrethe Vestager (@vestager) July 23, 2023
Belgian cyclist Jordi Meeus won the final stage with a photo finish among four riders on the line, ahead of Jasper Philipsen, Dylan Groenewegen and Mads Pedersen.
“It was my first trip. It’s been great so far and to win today is a great feeling,” said Meeus.