July 27, 2026 Mathieu van der Poel (r) has just enough left to cross the line ahead of Alpecin team-mate Jasper Philipsen. Photo: AFP/Jeff Pachoud via ANP

Mathieu van der Poel won a dramatic closing stage of the Tour de France as his late breakaway in Paris proved to be just enough to hold off the peloton.

The 31-year-old Dutch rider made his move with 10km to go as the riders climbed the hill towards Montmartre for the third and final time.

He was joined by overall race leader Tadej Pogacar, who was already assured of a record-equalling fifth Tour de France win and determined to sign off in style.

The pair opened up a gap of a handful of seconds over the rest of the field, but as the finish line neared it looked as it they were destined to pipped on the line as the pack closed in fast.

Pogacar gave up the effort in the final stretch, but Van der Poel pressed on and crossed the line a few centimetres ahead of his Alpecin team-mate Jasper Philipsen.

Philipsen was closing fast in the final 500m and just edged out Mads Pedersen, winner of the green jersey for the best sprinter in the Tour, for second place.

”From your toes”

An exhausted Van der Poel admitted in his post-race interview that he expected to be passed before the line.

He said: “I just went as hard as I could, and I was just waiting until a wheel was coming past, and it didn’t happen.

“If there was one race I still wanted to win in my career – I have a few, of course, but this was one of them.

“We have a saying in Dutch that it has to come from your toes. I don’t know where this came from, but not from my toes!”