Tadej Pogacar celebrates on the podium after the last stage of the Tour de France in Paris on Sunday. AP

Gulf Today Report
 
UAE Team Emirates’ Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar cruised to a second successive Tour De France title on Sunday.

Pogacar defended the title successfully with ease despite Wout van Aert won the last stage on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

The UAE Team rider produced a stupendous performance to stamp his authority on the biggest and most prestigious tour of the world by winning four stages out of 21.

He won the two consecutive mountainous stages to extend his lead to a whopping five minutes over his nearest rival Jonas Vingegaard.

Pogacar pulled off a nail-biting victory in the last edition, winning by a whisker but this year he made his intent clear from the beginning as he held on to the lead right from the middle of the tour till he crossed the finished line on the 21st stage to officially lift the crown.

Team Jumbo rider pipped British rider Mark Cavendish to squeeze a narrow win the final stage. He denied Cavendish his fifth stage victory of the season and 35th of his career at the Tour de France.

Cavendish could have broken the record of Eddy Merckx as the winner of a record 35 stages had he won the fifth stage in this edition.