Pogačar effectively seals 4th Tour de France title as organizers neutralize times before stage ends

PARIS (AP) — Slovenian rider Tadej Pogačar effectively sealed his fourth Tour de France title on Sunday after organizers decided to neutralize the times with 50 kilometers (31 miles) left because of the threat of rain and crashes.

Freezing the times for the 21st and final stage into Paris all-but-ensured victory for Pogačar, but he still had to cross the finish line later in order to win.

The decision was made in the late afternoon and, shortly after Pogačar reached 50 kilometers to go, heavy rain began falling and drenched the roads.

The 26-year-old Pogačar is the defending champion and won his other Tour titles in 2020 and '21.

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The pack with Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, passes the Arc de Triomphe during the twenty-first stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 132.3 kilometers (82.1 miles) with start in Mantes-la-Ville and finish on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, France, Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

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