Pogacar wins 2025 Tour de France stage four, his 100th Professional Victory
Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates clinched victory in stage four of the Tour de France on Tuesday, marking a monumental milestone as he secured his 100th professional win.
The 26-year-old Slovenian cyclist showcased his prowess on the incline to the finish line, narrowly edging out overall leader Mathieu van der Poel and Jonas Vingegaard, who rounded out the podium in third place.
Pogacar's victory, his 18th stage win in the Tour de France, comes as he aims for a fourth overall triumph in the prestigious cycling event. The stage unfolded as a dramatic showdown between Pogacar, Vingegaard, and Van der Poel, with the final 40 kilometers featuring five challenging hills that tested the riders' mettle.
The day began with Van der Poel, who retained the yellow jersey after taking it from teammate Jasper Philipsen, who was forced to withdraw from the Tour due to a serious fall on Monday. As the race progressed, Pogacar launched a decisive attack on the final climb, dropping his rivals and asserting his dominance. However, Vingegaard fought valiantly to rejoin Pogacar, setting the stage for a thrilling sprint to the finish that left fans on the edge of their seats.
"This win means a lot to me," said Pogacar after the race. "Reaching 100 victories is a dream come true, but I’m focused on the overall goal of this Tour. The competition is fierce, and I know I have to keep pushing myself to stay in the fight."
With Pogacar now in second place overall, trailing Van der Poel, and Vingegaard in third, the stakes are set for the upcoming stages. The fifth stage promises to shake up the standings as it features a challenging 33-kilometer individual time trial around Caen. Cycling enthusiasts are eager to see if Remco Evenepoel, the 25-year-old Belgian world and Olympic champion in time trials, can seize the yellow jersey. To do so, he will need to outperform both Pogacar and Vingegaard by nearly a minute.
As the Tour progresses, the first mountains will not appear until stage ten, set against the stunning backdrop of the volcanic Puy de Dome. Cyclists will face two more grueling climbing days in the Pyrenees before the climactic final week in the Alps, promising even more excitement and drama for fans around the world.