Mark Cavendish says goodbye as Tadej Pogacar seals third Tour de France title

Tadej Pogacar won the Tour de France for the third time and celebrated in style with victory in the time trial ending in Nice. The 25-year-old Slovenian rider became the first cyclist to secure the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France in the same year since the late Marco Pantani in 1998.

Two-time defending champion Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark was second overall. He also finished the final stage in second place. Pogacar won the 34km time trial on the French Riviera’s roads from Monaco to Nice in 45 minutes, 24 seconds. Vingegaard was one minute, three seconds behind him. In the overall standings, Vingegaard finished six minutes 17 seconds behind Pogacar and Evenepoel was third overall.

Sir Mark Cavendish said he had “likely” raced for the final time after completing the stage. The 39-year-old postponed his planned retirement to return this season in pursuit of a record-breaking 35th career Tour stage win, and achieved that feat with his victory on stage five into Saint-Vulbas.

It was unknown whether the Manxman would complete the season with his Astana-Qazaqstan team, but after being met by his family at the end of the 34km time trial from Monaco to Nice which brings this Tour to a close, Cavendish indicated his illustrious career is probably at an end.

Asked if this had been the last race, Cavendish took a deep breath and said, “Likely so, yeah.”

The Paris Olympics means this year’s Tour did not end with the traditional sprint on the Champs-Elysees in the capital, but instead with a time trial on the Cote d’Azur.

Cavendish had been in tears after the two big Alpine stages before this after battling to make the time cut and ensure he did make it all the way to the end of his final Tour, and was instead able to make the most of this day, high-fiving fans on the roadside.

“First and foremost it was just trying to make the time limit, but I did the climb OK and I knew I’d be OK,” Cavendish said. “I know these roads, I’ve trained a lot around here. Then it’s just about enjoying it.

“There’s no pressure for me today, which is strange for the final stage of the Tour, you know. I knew my family was waiting it at the finish and it was just absorbing it. I got all the emotions out of the way yesterday and I could just really enjoy today.” AP

Cavendish ends Tour de France career as Pogacar reigns supreme: As it happened

07:36 PM BST

Excited for next year?

What an amazing three weeks it has been. From Mark Cavendish winning his historic 35th stage to Biniam Girmay becoming the first black African to win a stage at the Tour to Tadej Pogacar winning his third Tour de France. It has been an incredible ride and I think I speak on behalf of everyone in saying we cannot wait for the 2025 Tour de France. Thank you so much for following all of our coverage throughout this year’s Tour and we hope you enjoyed it. Over and out!

07:30 PM BST

The winner’s speech

07:29 PM BST

The top three

07:19 PM BST

The crowning moment for Pogacar

07:15 PM BST

Huge day for Eritrea and Africa

07:14 PM BST

King of the mountains winner

07:13 PM BST

Evenepoel wins young rider competition

07:07 PM BST

Another reward for Carapaz

He has won the king of the mountains classification but he also won the Super Combativity Award.

07:05 PM BST

Cavendish the greatest sprinter of all time

This is in all likelihood the last time we see Mark Cavendish competing at the Tour de France. He has 35 Tour stage victories to his name and is the greatest sprinter of all time.

07:02 PM BST

Podium time

07:00 PM BST

One, two, three

06:55 PM BST

Tadej Pogacar’s post-race interview

06:53 PM BST

Greatness meets excellence

06:52 PM BST

The final kilometre

Enjoy!

06:50 PM BST

Carapaz takes polka dot jersey

06:49 PM BST

UAE Team Emirates the best team

06:45 PM BST

Evenepoel claims white jersey

06:44 PM BST

Three times

06:42 PM BST

UAE Team Emirates celebrate

With an individual time trial rounding off this year’s Tour, the rest of the UAE Team Emirates riders were able to celebrate at the finish as Pogacar came across the line:

06:40 PM BST

Girmay wins green jersey competition

06:39 PM BST

Results from stage 21

06:36 PM BST

Pogacar over six minutes clear of Vingegaard

06:31 PM BST

Pogacar wins stage 21

This is why he is a three-time Tour de France champion. He obliterates Vingegaard’s time by over a minute in an incredible time of 45min 24sec, in a similar style to what Vingegaard did to Pogacar a year ago. Six stage victories at the 2024 Tour de France for the Slovenian.

06:29 PM BST

Good ride from defending champion

Jonas Vingegaard comes across the line, 11 seconds faster than Evenepoel but look who is coming...

06:28 PM BST

Evenepoel finishes

The Soudal-Quick Step rider was almost guaranteed a third-place finish going into today and he consolidates that with a strong ride. He comes home in 46min 38sec, 54 seconds faster than Jorgenson.

He has been beaten today and across the Tour by two historically great riders.

06:24 PM BST

Third checkpoint

This is an emphatic showing from Tadej Pogacar, who is sailing towards stage victory number six at the 2024 Tour de France and extending his lead even further at the top of the general classification. Vingegaard may be 24 seconds faster than Evenepoel but Pogacar is smashing Vingegaard. He is over a minute ahead. Wow!

06:19 PM BST

Matteo Jorgenson fastest

A great ride from Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech), who goes fastest for now. Sadly for him it will not last too long and it really does not as Matteo Jorgenson usurps him.

06:16 PM BST

Santiago Buitrago second

The Bahrain Victorious rider has put in a good time, just three seconds behind Tejada.

06:15 PM BST

Second checkpoint

Evenepoel has set a strong time to the second checkpoint but Vingegaard is just over 25 seconds faster than the Soudal-Quick Step rider. Pogacar is absolutely flying and demonstrating just how good he is as he is 25 seconds clear himself of Vingegaard. Pogacar could be set for his sixth victory at this year’s Tour.

06:06 PM BST

First checkpoint for the leaders

Of the top three, Evenepoel hits it in 20mins 36sec. Vingegaard then reaches it and is 19 seconds faster than Evenepoel. The final man to reach it is Pogacar, who has been getting quicker and quicker and is seven seconds faster than Vingegaard. This is an exhibit from all three really in how to time trial. They are miles faster than everyone else and there have been some good riders today elsewhere.

06:01 PM BST

Derek Gee going well

The Israel-Premier Tech rider is just inside the top ten and he is going well at the second checkpoint. We have seen a few riders change bikes at the second checkpoint and the latest is Lidl-Trek’s Giulio Ciccone.

05:55 PM BST

On fire

The top three have been the clear best three at this year’s Tour and they are showing why here. They are all absolutely flying up this climb up La Turbie. Vingegaard is currently the quickest of the three so far.

05:49 PM BST

Evenepoel flying

He has not hit the first time check yet but the Soudal-Quick Step rider has made a great start to the time trial. Vingegaard, who started two minutes after Evenepoel, has also begun well.

05:45 PM BST

Top three under way

Everyone has now begun with Evenepoel, Vingegaard and Pogacar all out on the road. Who will come out on top? We will find out in just over 45 minutes’ time. Pogacar is a resident in Monaco so he will know these roads, especially at the start of this time trial. Remember Pogacar is more than five minutes ahead of second-place Vingegaard in the general classification.

05:39 PM BST

All over for Bardet

He is two minutes down on Harold Tejada’s fastest time but he is enjoying this moment as he brings his Tour de France career to a close. The fans give him a great reception as he finishes.

Closer to the start Matteo Jorgenson, who is in eighth in the general classification, has hit the ground at the Hairpin in Monaco.

05:37 PM BST

Into the top five

Mikel Landa (Soudal-Quick Step), who starts this stage in fifth, has just begun. Just Almeida, Evenepoel, Vingegaard and Pogacar remain.

05:28 PM BST

Top ten

We are now into our final ten riders, who make up the top ten in the general classification. Lidl-Trek’s Giulio Ciccone has just begun in Monaco.

05:27 PM BST

Special day for Girmay

Completing the time trial means that Biniam Girmay has sealed the green jersey (points classification) ahead of Jasper Philipsen. Girmay has won three stages at this year’s Tour and this will mean a huge deal to Eritrea and Africa as a whole.

05:23 PM BST

What a backdrop for the final stage

05:17 PM BST

Nice moment for Jakob Fuglsang

05:09 PM BST

When the final five begin

Not long to go...

Mikel Landa (Soudal-Quick Step)- 5.37pm (BST)

Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates)- 5.39pm

Remco Evenepoel (Soudal- Quick Step)- 5.41pm

Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike)- 5.43pm

Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates)- 5.45pm

05:02 PM BST

Bardet sets off

On his final stage at the Tour de France, Romain Bardet (DSM-Firmenich PostNL) is under way.

04:58 PM BST

Current top five

1. Harold Tejada (Astana Qazaqstan) 48min 14sec

2. Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ) 48min 24sec

3. Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Dstny) 48min 38sec

4. Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost) 49min 9sec

5. Matteo Sobrero (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) 49min 19sec

04:53 PM BST

Emotional Campenaerts speaking to ITV

The Lotto Dstny rider is currently third on today’s stage but he will drop down when the big hitters come over the line.

04:45 PM BST

French National Champion out on the road

04:40 PM BST

New entries into the top five

Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost) and Matteo Sobrero (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) have just gone fourth and fifth respectively with solid time trials.

04:35 PM BST

Family support

This will be Romain Bardet’s final stage at the Tour de France as he is set to retire before the start of next year’s Tour. He took the yellow jersey on the opening stage into Rimini with a huge amount of help from his teammate Frank van den Broek. He is set to get going in the next 10 minutes.

04:29 PM BST

Our new leader

Mark Cavendish’s teammate, Harold Tejada:

04:21 PM BST

Plenty of support for Pogacar

Tadej Pogacar lives now in Monaco with his fiancee Urska Zigart, who is also a professional cyclist. So the start of today’s stage on the streets of Monaco is not far away from his house so he could go home for the celebrations tonight.

04:08 PM BST

New leader alert

Lenny Martinez is no longer our leader. Harold Tejada of Astana Qazaqstan has gone around 10 seconds faster.

04:07 PM BST

When the final five head out

Mikel Landa (Soudal-Quick Step)- 5.37pm (BST)

Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates)- 5.39pm

Remco Evenepoel (Soudal- Quick Step)- 5.41pm

Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike)- 5.43pm

Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates)- 5.45pm

04:05 PM BST

Top five as it stands

1. Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ) 48min 24sec

2. Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Dstny) 48min 38sec

3. Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) 49min 22sec

4. Michael Matthews (Jayco-AlUla) 49min 24sec

5. Raul Garcia Pierna (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) 49min 57sec

04:04 PM BST

Martinez still in the lead

04:02 PM BST

Thoughts from inside the Astana Qazaqstan camp

Mark Renshaw was a teammate of Mark Cavendish and he is now his Sports Director at Astana Qazaqstan. Here he is speaking to ITV:

03:53 PM BST

Campenaerts finishes

Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Dstny), who provided us with one of the moments of the 2024 Tour de France with his victory on stage 18, has just come over the line 14 seconds behind Martinez. A great ride from the Belgian, who will join Visma-Lease a Bike next season.

03:51 PM BST

Celebrating winning the green jersey with his family

03:46 PM BST

Mark Cavendish speaking to ITV after the stage

03:38 PM BST

Around the streets of Monaco

03:33 PM BST

Incredible support

I mentioned how big a day this will be for cycling in Eritrea and Africa. Look at this support for Girmay during his time trial:

03:27 PM BST

Family time

Mark Cavendish will have plenty more time to spend with his children and his family were waiting for him at the finish line in Nice, as they were when he secured stage victory number 35 on stage five in Saint Vulbas.

03:21 PM BST

Stellar ride

That was quite the time trial from Lenny Martinez. No-one else yet has set a time under the 50-minute mark and his current advantage is not far off three minutes.

03:19 PM BST

Green jersey

Most of the classifications are secured, so long as the riders finish their time trials. So let’s take a look at how those classifications are likely to finish up, starting with the points classification (green jersey):

1. Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) 387pts

2. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 354

3. Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) 208

4. Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies) 180

5. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) 176

6. Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny) 161

7. Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) 152

8. Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) 149

9. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step) 137

10. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) 119

Girmay has just crossed the line so he will win the points classification. An amazing day for Eritrean and African cycling.

03:13 PM BST

Posing for photos

03:10 PM BST

When the top ten in the GC begin

Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek)- 5.27pm (BST)

Derek Gee (Israel- Premier Tech)- 5.29pm

Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike)- 5.31pm

Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers)- 5.33pm

Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates)- 5.35pm

Mikel Landa (Soudal-Quick Step)- 5.37pm

Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates)- 5.39pm

Remco Evenepoel (Soudal- Quick Step)- 5.41pm

Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike)- 5.43pm

Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates)- 5.45pm

02:54 PM BST

Changes

We have seen plenty of changes at the top of the timesheets as more and more riders finish. Sébastien Grignard (Lotto Dstny) did go quickest only to be usurped by Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious) and then Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ), who is now fastest. Martinez’s time is nearly three minutes faster than Mohoric.

02:45 PM BST

Goodbye

02:38 PM BST

Cavendish finished

He has come across the line on what we expect to be his final ever stage at the Tour de France. From London on his Tour debut to Nice after 35 stage wins in between, what an amazing career it has been.

His teammate Cees Bol is currently fastest but we have only had a few riders who have finished.

02:35 PM BST

Around the streets of Monaco

Biniam Girmay, who looks set to win the points classification, going round the Hairpin in Monaco.

02:32 PM BST

Quite incredible stat

This is from Daniel Friebe of ITV on X. This just shows how closely matched Pogacar and Vingegaard are:

02:28 PM BST

Top ten in the general classification ahead of final stage

1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) 82hrs 53mins 32secs

2. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) +5mins 14secs

3. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal- Quick Step) +8mins 4secs

4. Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) +16mins 45secs

5. Mikel Landa (Soudal-Quick Step) +17mins 25secs

6. Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) +21mins 11secs

7. Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers) +21mins 12secs

8. Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) 24mins 26secs

9. Derek Gee (Israel- Premier Tech) +24mins 50secs

10. Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) +25mins 48secs

02:21 PM BST

Stage 21 profile

02:14 PM BST

Previous individual time trial

Back on stage seven we had a 25.3km time trial from Nuits-Saint-Georges to Gevrey-Chambertin, which was won by Remco Evenepoel. Here was the top five from that day:

1. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step) 28min 52sec

2. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) +12sec

3. Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +34sec

4. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike)+37sec

5. Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Dstny)+52sec

02:07 PM BST

Start of the farewell

Is that a Formula 1 car? No, it is Mark Cavendish! The time trial is beginning on the streets of Monaco.

02:00 PM BST

Goodbye to Cavendish

Mark Cavendish made it inside the time limit on yesterday’s stage and was accompanied to the line by his teammate. It is safe to say there was some emotion and there will be a lot today I am sure.

01:40 PM BST

Final stage preview

Good afternoon and welcome to coverage of the final stage from the 2024 Tour de France. Owing to the Paris Olympics which are just a few days away, the customary finish is not on the Champs-Élysées but instead on the French Riviera. We have a 33.7km individual time trial from Monaco to Nice to conclude the 2024 Tour. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) has the yellow jersey almost sealed, with over five minutes in the general classification over defending champion Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike). Pogacar delivered another masterclass yesterday on stage 20 to claim a fifth stage victory at this year’s Tour, sprinting away from Vingegaard in the final 500m to win on the Col de la Couillole. The Slovenian has become the first rider to win five stages at a single Tour de France since German sprinter Marcel Kittel in 2017.

Pogacar will remember though how he won his first Tour de France in 2020, when he usurped Primoz Roglic on the penultimate stage in a time trial, although the gap was much smaller. On that day Roglic held a one-minute lead over Pogacar only to finish two minutes behind on that time trial. It would require a catastrophic collapse from Pogacar to lose the maillot jaune now.

It is a day of goodbyes as the Tour says farewell (we think!) to the man with the most stage wins in the history of the event; Mark Cavendish. That day on stage five will live long in the memory as he sealed stage victory number 35 in Saint Vulbas to take the outright record ahead of Eddy Merckx. Cavendish’s Tour journey began in London in 2007 and will now conclude in Nice in 2024. He would probably have preferred his final stage to be in Paris, with one more shot at victory, but he can enjoy himself in Nice this afternoon. At the end of yesterday’s stage, he crossed the line in tears supported by his teammates as he came inside the time limit.

Stay with us for all the action from the final stage of the 2024 Tour de France.