The Tour de France, one of the most prestigious cycling events in the world, returned from July 1 through July 23, covering a grueling 3,404-kilometer route that began in Spain and concluded in Paris, France. This year’s race saw Jonas Vingegaard successfully defend his title, winning for the second consecutive year and besting his closest rival, Tadej Pogačar, by a significant margin of 7 minutes and 29 seconds.
In the final stage, Stage 21, Jordi Meeus of Bora-Hansgrohe emerged as the surprise winner. Meeus clinched victory in a sprint finish on the iconic Champs-Élysées, outpacing top sprinters like Jasper Philipsen, Dylan Groenewegen, and Mads Pedersen. Meanwhile, Vingegaard enjoyed a celebratory ride, sipping champagne as he was officially crowned the winner of the 2023 Tour de France, marking the largest margin of victory since 2014.
The final general classification standings saw Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) at the top with a time of 82:05:42, followed by Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) at -7:29, Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) at -10:56, Simon Yates (Jayco–AlUla) at -12:23, and Carlos Rodríguez (INEOS Grenadiers) at -13:17.
Stage 20 was a significant one for Tadej Pogačar, who won the stage by outsprinting Jonas Vingegaard and other strong riders on the flat drag at the top of the Col du Platzerwasel. This victory marked Pogačar’s second stage win of this Tour and his 11th career Tour stage win. Despite losing a few bonus seconds to Pogačar, Vingegaard maintained his lead in the yellow jersey competition heading into the final, mostly ceremonial, Stage 21.
Pogačar’s win in Stage 20 was a testament to his resilience, especially after cracking on Stage 17 and effectively losing the general classification to Vingegaard. Pogačar’s determination earned him his 11th Tour de France stage win and his fourth white jersey, awarded to the best young rider, of his still very young career.
Jonas Vingegaard, on the other hand, did exactly what he needed to do on the penultimate stage to secure his victory in the 2023 Tour de France. His performance mirrored his strategy during the middle portion of the Tour, where he managed to stay close to Pogačar without letting his rival gain too much advantage. Vingegaard’s consistency and strategic riding made him a worthy champion.
Another notable achievement in Stage 20 was Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Lidl) claiming the King of the Mountains classification. Ciccone earned maximum points on the first four categorized climbs of the stage, securing the polka dot jersey. He became the first rider to win the KOM without winning the general classification since Romain Bardet in 2019.
Stage 19 saw Matej Mohorič (Bahrain Victorious) win in a thrilling sprint finish. Mohorič, along with Kasper Asgreen and Ben O’Connor, broke away from the peloton with 30 kilometers to go. Despite efforts from the chasers, Mohorič’s strength prevailed, and he narrowly edged out Asgreen in a photo finish.
Kasper Asgreen (Soudal Quick-Step) won Stage 18 in dramatic fashion. Asgreen was part of the original breakaway and managed to fend off the peloton, outsprinting Pascal Eenkhoorn and Jonas Abrahamsen for the win. This victory was a significant morale boost for the Soudal Quick-Step team, which had faced a challenging Tour.
Stage 17 was a turning point in the Tour, with Felix Gall (AG2R Citroën) winning the stage and Jonas Vingegaard gaining a significant time advantage over Pogačar. Vingegaard’s performance on this stage effectively secured his overall victory, as he gained 5:45 on Pogačar, who cracked on the Col de la Loze.
In Stage 16, Jonas Vingegaard delivered an incredible individual time trial, winning the stage by 1:38 over Pogačar. This performance extended his lead in the general classification, making it difficult for Pogačar to catch up in the remaining stages.
Wout Poels (Bahrain Victorious) won Stage 15, capturing his first Tour de France stage victory. Poels’ strength and patience in the breakaway paid off as he made his move on the final climb, securing the win.
Stage 14 saw Carlos Rodriguez (INEOS Grenadiers) win after a thrilling day in the general classification battle. Rodriguez capitalized on the focus between Pogačar and Vingegaard, seizing his opportunity on the descent to claim victory and improve his overall standing.
Michal Kwiatkowski (INEOS Grenadiers) won Stage 13, attacking from the breakaway and holding off Pogačar to take his second Tour de France stage victory. UAE Team Emirates, despite not winning the stage, demonstrated their strength and strategy, setting up Pogačar for a strong finish.
Throughout the 2023 Tour de France, the competition between Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar was intense, with both riders showcasing their exceptional skills and determination. Vingegaard’s consistency and strategic riding ultimately secured his second consecutive Tour de France victory, while Pogačar’s resilience and talent earned him multiple stage wins and the white jersey.
Source: Various
