Team Jumbo-Visma leader Jonas Vingegaard has won the Tour de France. The Dane crossed the finish line safely on the Champs-Élysées on Sunday to secure the overall victory a day after finishing second on a 40-kilometer time trial.
Besides the yellow jersey, Vingegaard also won the polka-dot jersey for best climber. Wout van Aert proved unbeatable in the battle for the green jersey and won the prize for the most combative rider. In addition, the Dutch team won six stages in the team’s most successful Tour de France.
Jumbo-Visma’s Sepp Kuss of Durango wrapped up the Tour in 18th place in the GC (+1:02:29).
Kuss and his teammates rode through the final finish line in Paris together, crossing 76th through 80th with the jerseys already secured.
Vingegaard took the yellow leader’s jersey in Stage 11 to the Col du Granon, which he won, and never relinquished it.
“This means everything to me. It is the most prestigious prize in cycling, the biggest race in the world. It makes me proud that I can share this success with my family,” Vingegaard said.
“I thank every member of the team – both the riders and the staff. Since last year, I believed I could win the Tour. The fact that my dream has come true is indescribable. This is the best moment of my life,” he added.
“This is what we have been striving for so long,” team manager Richard Plugge said. “Six years ago, we drew up a plan. We invested in talent development, equipment, workforce, knowledge and skills. Today, the work of the past years all came to a climax. We won the yellow and green jersey, the polka-dot jersey, six stages and the prize for the most combative rider.”
“I have once again seen how many people are involved in Team Jumbo-Visma. The commitment of all these people is invaluable,” he added. “We are all going to enjoy these successes. Next week, we will turn the switch and start preparing for the next year’s Tour de France.”
Van Aert, who won Saturday’s time trial in addition to two other stages, the points classification and the prize for most combative rider, also chimed in on the team’s success.
“It has been a fantastic three weeks. I'm very proud to be a part of this,” Van Aert said. “We have shown we have a powerful team. Beforehand we said we wanted to go for both the yellow and the green jersey. We more than succeeded in that ... “Winning the Tour de France as a team is something I dreamed of as a little boy.”
Vingegaard won the general classification after 21 stages in a total time on 79 hours, 33 minutes and 20 seconds. Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates finished second (+2:43) in the GC, and Gerraint Thomas of INEOS Grenadiers finished third (+7:22). Pagacar also won the youth division.
Durangoan Quinn Simmons of Trek-Segafredo, riding in his first Tour, finished 67th in the GC (+3:30:44) and 11th out of 25 riders in the youth competition. Simmons finished 114th on Stage 21.
