Tour de France: 'I just want to enjoy the moment,' says five-time winner Tadej Pogacar

Tadej Pogacar has cemented his place in cycling history by winning his fifth Tour de France title. The Slovenian rider crossed the finish line on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, joining legends Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain as five-time winners.

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I want to just enjoy the moment of victory. Whether it's the fifth victory or the first, it doesn't matter. It's incredible to wear the yellow jersey and cross the line in Paris, winning it. I will therefore simply enjoy the moment, without thinking about history, about a party or anything else. I just want to live this moment, go home, relax and enjoy the little things in life too. I am really happy and proud to win this fifth Tour. But each of them has a different story, a different meaning and different emotions. And each of them is incredible.

This latest victory adds to his previous wins in 2020, 2021, and the preceding years. The final stage of the race, a reduced 89 km route due to exceptional fire situations in France, concluded with a suspenseful sprint won by Dutchman Mathieu Van der Poel.

Despite the historic nature of his fifth win, Pogacar emphasized his desire to savor the present moment. "I want to just enjoy the moment of victory," he stated. "Whether it's the fifth victory or the first, it doesn't matter. It's incredible to wear the yellow jersey and cross the line in Paris, winning it."

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You were lucky, I let you win.

Looking ahead, Pogacar mentioned upcoming commitments, including a criterium in his hometown and participation in his foundation's work. He also hopes to watch his partner, Urska Zigart, compete in the Tour de France Femmes.

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There were no words, there was no communication, but we both rode to death, to the end. And I ran out of gas. I knew we had to give everything. He knew we had to give everything, so we committed, and he took a beautiful victory.