Tour de France 2021 LIVE: Stage 21 latest updates as Tadej Pogacar looks to retain title today
Follow live updates from the final stage of this year’s Tour de France
This year’s edition of the Tour de France comes to a conclusion on the Champs-Elysees today, with two key storylines to follow.
Tadej Pogacar, who has been clad in the yellow jersey since stage seven, will look to become the youngest rider ever to retain the title. The 22-year-old Slovenian has been dominant over the last three weeks and seems a lock to win the race this afternoon, though the stage victory could go to another rider.
Mark Cavendish’s remarkable resurgence this summer has seen the Manx rider win four stages to equal the all-time overall stage wins record held by Eddy Merckx, and one more this afternoon would see the 36-year-old go clear of the Belgian legend. Cavendish in fact has history on the Champs-Elysees, which provides one of the fastest finishes in cycling, having won four times. A record fifth win there would of course give way to the Manxman claiming the record everyone has been talking about during this year’s race. Cavendish can also ensure he holds onto the green jersey with a stage victory, although it is likely he will not need the win to keep the points classification lead as his nearest challenger Michael Matthews is not expected to win in Paris.
Follow live updates from the final stage of the Tour de France below.
Tour de France latest: Stage 21
Here is Wout van Aert’s victory. He has won a mountain stage, time trial and bunch sprint! Incredible!
Tour de France latest: Stage 21
Our breaking report.
Tour de France 2021: Tadej Pogacar wins as Mark Cavendish just misses out on stage record
Pogacar led the Tour from Stage seven onwards and never looked like relinquishing the yellow jersey
Tour de France latest: Stage 21
Van Aert wins the stage. Cavendish wins the green jersey. Pogacar wins the Tour de France.
Tour de France latest: Stage 21
Oh my! Cavendish picked Van Aert’s wheel but he couldn’t ever get his sprint going properly and failed to come past Van Aert!
I think Philipsen took second, with Cavendish third.
Tour de France latest: Stage 21
700m to go: Quick Step restore a bit of order inside the final kilometre as we sweep around the final right turn!
Cavendish is on the wheel of Wout van Aert!
Tour de France latest: Stage 21
1km to go: Now Cofidis take it up and Quick Step are caught out a little on the left as they get swamped by a number of riders.
Cavendish is on Morkov’s wheel, the perfect position. They may not be as close to the front as they’d like to be but you just know before the final turn that they will be.
Tour de France latest: Stage 21
2km to go: The front five of the peloton are the four Quick Step leadout men and Cavendish. He is in the perfect position at the moment.
EF Education put a man on the front and that is good news for Cavendish as his team can save a rider for 500 metres or so.
Tour de France latest: Stage 21
3km to go: All quietens down a little as there is no breakaway for the first time in about an hour. This IS coming down to a sprint finish and the peloton are now preparing for it.
Quick Step still have a few guys up there despite having done almost all the work on the front.
Alaphilippe delivers one final turn on the front and then swings off. He’s done. Four Quick Step men in front of Cavendish.
Tour de France latest: Stage 21
4km to go: Ineos Grenadiers are attacking now! Wow we did not expect this! Michal Kwiatkowski sprints up to the front and launches 2018 Tour winner Geraint Thomas! But it’s shut down immediately by Quick Step. They are so, so organised this afternoon!
Nils Politt is the latest rider to try and spring clear but it’s shut down again by Quick Step.
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