Tadej Pogacar secured his victory at the 2025 Tour de France, marking a shift in the dynamic between him and Jonas Vingegaard. The race culminated with fighter jets soaring over Paris as Pogacar smiled, sensing the final stage, while Vingegaard grappled with a “strange feeling” of being in “no man’s land.”

The rivalry between Pogacar and Vingegaard, once measured in seconds, now spans minutes. Observers noted that the competition lacked the balance of previous years, with Pogacar dominating stage victories. Despite glimpses of hope, such as Vingegaard’s performance on the Rampe Saint-Hilaire in Rouen, he ultimately couldn’t match Pogacar’s strength.

Vingegaard acknowledged that he had hoped to compete for the win, but experienced inconsistent performance. Statistics showed that Pogacar finished ahead of Vingegaard in 12 out of 15 stages where they finished one and two. This year, Pogacar won four stages, while Vingegaard did not win any.

Despite his second-place finish, Vingegaard was not overly disappointed but also lacked a sense of celebration. He found himself better than the rest of the competitors but not as strong as Pogacar, leaving him isolated between the leader and the rest of the field. He described the feeling as being in “no man’s land”.

The final stage saw Pogacar leading the peloton, energized and ready to race. Wout van Aert launched an attack on Montmartre, showcasing that unexpected events can still unfold, but Pogacar’s overall lead remained unchallenged, securing his Tour de France victory.