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22km to go:<\/strong> That leading group of 27 is now just five! Pogacar is the first to the summit, with Ballerini, Jorgenson, Van Aert and Trentin in his wake.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 23km to go:<\/strong> Real caution being shown on those hairpin bends, as Campenaerts nervously leads the group up the hill. Jorgenson, Trentin, Mohoric, Pogacar all follow. Pogacar makes the move! He jumps!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 25km to go:<\/strong> Heavy thunder rolls over Paris. We are nearly at the second ascent to Montmartre, and the riders are once again jostling for position before we dip into those narrow streets and tight turns. The leading group is very bunched, with Campeanerts right at the very front. Pogacar is a couple of wheels behind, although there are no UAE teammates in sight. The yellow jersey is on his own in that regard.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.05 EDT<\/p>\n 27km to go:<\/strong> Have to say that it is probably the right call that this race was neutralised, even though there are arguments to the contrary. The conditions are atrocious.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 30km to go:<\/strong> The leading group numbers a total of 27 riders. This is the complete list: Pogacar, Campenaerts, Jorgenson, Van Aert, V. Paret-Peintre, Powless, Girmay, Mohoric, Wright, Laurance, Stuyven, Russo, Groves, Alaphilippe, Trentin, Vauquelin, A. Paret-Peintre, Tronchon, Aranburu, Teuns, Tejada, Ballerini, Bittner, Lund Andresen, De Lie, Berckmoes, Abrahamsen.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 32km to go:<\/strong> The heavens have opened in Paris! The skies are shadowed in a doomy grey and the cobbles are now slippery wet, with the leading group now zipping through puddles back on the Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es. This is basically a one-day classic, with the cobbles.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 34km to go:<\/strong> So around 20 riders are at the front. Campenaerts, Mohoric, Paret-Peintre, Pogacar, Van Aert, Ballerini, Powless are there, so too Alaphilippe, De Lie.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 37km to go:<\/strong> For those just joining, this is a reminder that there is no practical reason \u2013 other than the glory and prestige of winning yet another Tour stage \u2013 that Pogacar should be here. As long as he reaches the finish line on two wheels, he is champion. He is doing this purely for the glory, flying up and down the hill and potentially risking injury. A true champion. I cannot recall another wearer of the yellow jersey being so close to the front on the final stage. Wow.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 38km to go:<\/strong> Pocagar and co rein De Lie and Alaphilippe in, and the riders collectively reach Basilique du Sacr\u00e9-C\u0153ur de Montmartre \u2013 there appears to be a little bit of dampness on the cobbles at the top of the hill. Ominous.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 39km to go:<\/strong> Two riders pull clear: De Lie and Alaphilippe! A huge roar for the latter, the home favourite. Ten metres back, Van Aert and Pogacar scramble to make up the ground.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 40km to go:<\/strong> Haller is the first up, closely followed by Alaphilippe, Campenaerts and Van Aert. Pogacar is just a few riders back, maybe in sixth or seventh.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 41km to go:<\/strong> Simmons and Lipowitz are caught, the peloton is one again. We are about to embark on the first climb of Montmartre. Riders are jostling for position, fighting to get to the front of the peloton before they get into the narrow streets and tight turns. Pogacar is there! It appears he is going to try to win the stage!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 43km to go:<\/strong> The riders swoop around L\u2019Eglise de la Madeleine and Saint-Augustine \u2013 two magnificent churches. The crowds are everywhere, the noise is deafening.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45km to go:<\/strong> Simmons and Lipowitz still have lead of around 12 seconds to the rest of the peloton, at the front of which is Pogacar, Van Aert and co.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 47km to go:<\/strong> We will ascend Montmartre for the first time in around 7km, at around the 40km mark. Rue Lepic awaits!<\/p>\n Rue Lepic with a huge crowd wait for the peloton. Photograph: ShutterstockShare<\/a>Timings for overall standings are now frozen<\/p>\n 50km to go:<\/strong> As per the earlier announcement, riders will retain their GC times as they have now passed the finish line for the fourth time. Pogacar just needs to finish this race on two wheels to be confirmed as the 2025 champion.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 53km to go:<\/strong> Simmons and Lipowitz have a gap of eight seconds! The pair are gunning it as they try to get some separation, looking nervously over their shoulders. But the gap is growing.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 56km to go:<\/strong> Not long. The riders pass over the finish line \u2013 four laps to go and one lap until we freeze the GC times \u2013 and we are about to head into the intermediate sprint. With the ominous climb to Montmartre, this course and finish does not favour the sprinters, so we might get an exciting spring here instead.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.32 EDT<\/p>\n 57km to go:<\/strong> The trio of Powless, Buitrago and Cort open up a small gap! Let\u2019s see how long this one lasts.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 60km to go:<\/strong> Nine riders, among them Jonas Abrahamsen, make a brief break from the peloton. But the group are brought back to heel, and peloton is one again. Nobody has made a significant move and made it stick.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 62km to go:<\/strong> Ben O\u2019Connor has a puncture on the Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es, a reminder to everyone that come unstuck on this surface. However, the weather is dry and the cobbles don\u2019t look particularly treacherous.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 65km to go:<\/strong> Remember, it\u2019s three laps of the Champs circuit, then three times up the Butte Montmartre. Alexis Renard attacks, solo, and briefly has an eight-second lead before being pegged back. Ben Healy is there, too.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>We are racing!<\/p>\n 68km to go:<\/strong> Aaaaaaaaand here we go! The stage is properly underway now, as the riders fly past the Arc de Triomphe and back down the cobbles of the Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es. Magnus Cort and Quinn Simmons are the ones pushing at the front, but there is no clear breakaway.<\/p>\n Around 10km to go until we get to the intermediate sprint.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 70km to go:<\/strong> The riders swoop down the Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es for the first time. Pogacar flashes a smile at the cameras and the rest of the UAE team are 30 metres in front of their rivals, in a respectful gesture by the peloton. I imagine this will be the end of the processional part of this stage.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 73km to go:<\/strong> The peloton passes through the courtyard of the Louvre, past the glass pyramid. It\u2019s a fine image. Hang it in the \u2026 you know the rest.<\/p>\n I watched the Da Vinci Code, starring Tom Hanks, recently, a film which features the Louvre heavily. It wasn\u2019t very good, on second viewing.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 75km to go:<\/strong> The riders have reached central Paris as swing past the Eiffel Tower before passing over the Seine. They are still very much in processional mode, though. Nobody has upped the ante \u2026 yet.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 80km to go:<\/strong> So we have around 30km to go until the race is neutralised and the GC times are frozen. I wonder if that development will affect the way that Pogacar approaches the end of this stage, whether he will go for the win. I can\u2019t remember the last time someone wearing the yellow jersey won the last stage of the Tour, but it\u2019s not beyond Pogacar. He very much cares about his legacy in the sport, about being the GOAT, and doing this sort of stuff (winning the final stage in yellow) however mad it might sound, does make a difference to that sort of thing.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>BREAKING NEWS: race neutralised and times frozen with 50km to go<\/p>\n The final stage of the Tour de France<\/a> saw its competitive element largely neutralised on Sunday after organisers decided to freeze the times with about 50 kilometres left due to hazardous road conditions.<\/p>\n Following a pre-stage check, officials identified several sections of the course as dangerously slippery. The stage goes up the cobbled roads of the Butte Montmartre three times.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter a reconnaissance carried out before the stage, and after noting that certain sections had slippery road conditions, it was decided, in agreement with the president of the commissaires\u2019 panel, that the times would be frozen at kilometre 82, that is, on the fourth crossing of the finish line,\u201d organisers said in a statement. A stage classification will be established, but it will not affect the general classification.\u201d<\/p>\n The overall standings will therefore remain unchanged, preserving the yellow jersey leader\u2019s position. Slovenian Tadej Pogacar will, however, still need to cross the finish line to be declared winner of the race.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.56 EDT<\/p>\n 87km to go:<\/strong> The riders are coasting through Chaville, a Parisian suburb to the south-west of the city. It\u2019s a little damp, but not chucking it down.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, in Paris, reader Andy McKay has another weather update via email. \u201cThe road is slick and wet. It\u2019s sprinkling again. Changeable might be the best description.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90km to go:<\/strong> Hi everyone. Important to remember that this is also the final day of ITV coverage on the Tour de France<\/a>. The free-to-air TV channel leaves a huge legacy here in the UK. Merci.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Right, it\u2019s time to hand back to Michael Butler. <\/strong>Enjoy the rest of the action.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 96km to go:<\/strong> The riders are taking in the grandeur of Versailles, cruising down the tree-lined streets around the sprawling palace grounds. TNT Sports recap the highlights of the French Revolution, which is fun.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 102km to go:<\/strong> Pogacar and his UAE Team Emirates teammates soak up the acclaim at the front as fans wave French tricolours and whoop them on. The riders pass the 30km mark, bearing down on the streets of the capital.<\/p>\n Fans line the streets of Montmartre as they await the arrival of the riders. Photograph: Laurent Cipriani\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.28 EDT<\/p>\n 104km to go:<\/strong> The pace at the front is ticking upwards. The peloton begins to snake through Villepreux.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.22 EDT<\/p>\n 113km to go:<\/strong> There\u2019s more ominous talk of rain ahead, which could make for a treacherous ride over the cobbles of Montmartre. The riders pass the Ch\u00e2teau de Wideville, a sprawling estate which is, apparently, owned by the Italian fashion designer Valentino. So now you know!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 118km to go:<\/strong> Pogacar keeps his steely focus as he passes a fan dressed in an inflatable dinosaur costume, wobbling uncontrollably. Others perch atop road signs or shimmy up lampposts to get a glimpse of the man in yellow. There\u2019s a carnival atmosphere at the moment.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 121km to go: <\/strong>XDS Astana Team link arms and soak up the applause from the roadside. The climb up the C\u00f4te de Bazemont is well under way.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Hello! <\/strong>Just as I begin my blogging stint, a man dressed as a hamburger is roaring on the riders. It\u2019s that kind of a day. The peloton continues its leisurely meander as fans line the roads and wave them on towards Paris.<\/p>\n His holiness Pope \u2018Leon XXL\u2019 enjoying the fun on the road to Paris. Photograph: Mosa\u2019ab Elshamy\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.08 EDT<\/p>\n Going to step away to grab a bite<\/strong>. Will Magee is here to steer you through the next stretch. Enjoy!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.32 EDT<\/p>\n 123km to go:<\/strong> \u201cIn a bar near Place de Clichy at the entrance to Montmarte and it\u2019s just started raining,\u201d emails Andy McKay in Paris. Neutralisation (of the GC times at least, perhaps not of the stage) is not out of the question.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 125km to go:<\/strong> The riders are still in processional mode, taking photos and smiling for the cameras. Surprisingly, there\u2019s no sign of the champagne \u2026 yet. We\u2019re not too far away from the first Cat. 4 climb, the C\u00f4te de Bazemont, and the racing might ramp up then. Let\u2019s see.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.16 EDT<\/p>\n 127km to go:<\/strong> As mentioned, it\u2019s been an amazing few weeks for Britain\u2019s Oscar Onley, and here\u2019s what the London-born Scot had to say before the rollout today.<\/p>\n There was no pressure from my team. We never really had the plan to go for GC. I\u2019ve just taken every day as it comes. The Tour is already stressful enough. I\u2019m really happy. It\u2019s really cool to be on the wheel of Pogacar. It gives me a lot of confidence going forward. If I can do it here, then why not in other races?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Share<\/a>D\u00e9part: stage three begins.<\/p>\n 130km to go:<\/strong> Pogacar, flanked by his UAE teammates, start the d\u00e9part for the final stage from Mantes-la-Ville to Paris Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es. It\u2019s a very relaxed atmosphere, with time for photos and backslapping. And why not? This has been a gruelling three weeks.<\/p>\n Photograph: https:\/\/www.letour.fr\/Share<\/a><\/p>\n This is the final stage of the final Tour for Geraint Thomas<\/strong>, a winner here in 2018 and a legend of the sport: Olympic champion on the track, a winner of three World Championships. Such a storied and versatile rider that is such a popular rider for his understated charm.<\/p>\n Here is what Thomas had to say before today\u2019s stage.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a mixture of relief and joy. One last big day. To get to Paris is always special. We\u2019ll enjoy it with the guys.<\/p>\n The Tour has been everything. I dreamt of competing in this race and I\u2019ve done it 14 times. I think of all the guys I\u2019ve done it alongside. Even the bad times, I still look back fondly because I know I bounced back from them.<\/p>\n The support I\u2019ve had from Wales, from the UK, has been amazing. I see if from the Dutch and the French, the Americans. That\u2019s the thing that I love the most.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n And here is an interview we did with the Welshman a couple of months ago.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n This<\/a> was our report from Saturday, <\/strong>the penultimate stage.<\/p>\n Much has also been made of the Tour\u2019s decision to augment Sunday\u2019s traditional processional laps of the Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es with three laps racing over the cobbled climbs in Montmartre. \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s a good idea,\u201d Vingegaard said. \u201cMontmartre seemed very beautiful at the Paris Olympics, with a great atmosphere.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut when the riders arrived there, there were 50 in the peloton. Now there will be 150 of us fighting for position on a very narrow climb. It\u2019s going to add more stress than we\u2019d like.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Share<\/a>Preamble<\/p>\n Tadej Pogacar has more than a four-minute lead going into the final stage to Paris, and is a crash-free ride away from winning his fourth Tour. The Slovenian was the heavy favourite going into this race but has still been supreme. After gaining an early advantage, he has kept Jonas Vingegaard at bay, despite everything the Dane has thrown at his rival. Despite his victory being nearly sewn up, Pogacar remains wary of complacency. \u201cAnything can happen but I\u2019m not promising I\u2019ll go for it,\u201d said Pogacar after Saturday\u2019s penultimate stage. \u201cWe\u2019ll try to enjoy the yellow jersey in Paris.\u201d There is a lot of talk that Pogacar might actually attack today. Let\u2019s see.<\/p>\n Vingegaard is second (+4min24secs), Florian Lipowitz is third (11min90secs), just ahead of Scotland\u2019s Oscar Onley, who just misses out on the podium. But what a performance by the 22-year-old. Big things await for Onley in the future.<\/p>\n\n
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