Tour de France 2022 stage 21 LIVE: Jonas Vingegaard celebrates title on Champs-Elysees after Jasper Philipsen wins sprint finish
Jonas Vingegaard won his first Tour de France while Jasper Philipsen prevailed in a sprint finish to win Stage 21 on the Champs-Elysees
Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark won his first Tour de France title on Sunday as Jasper Philipsen claimed Stage 21, his second of the race, to conclude the 109th edition of the race.
The Dane came out on top of a thrilling three-week duel, edging two-time defending champion Tadej Pogacar, who played one last card on the Champs-Elysees, leading out the peloton before the sprint finish when Philipsen, of Alpecin-Deceuninck, pipped Dylan Groenewegen and Alexander Kristoff to the iconic sprint finish. The 25-year-old Vingegaard became the first Danish rider to win cycling’s biggest race since Bjarne Riis in 1996. He finished 3 minutes, 34 seconds ahead of second-place Pogacar. Vingegaard, who was runner-up to Pogacar last year, built his success in the mountains.
Vingegaard crossed the line arm-in-arm with his Jumbo-Visma team-mates to confirm the victory he effectively sealed in Saturday’s time trial. Britain’s Geraint Thomas, of Ineos, took a memorable third place, his third podium finish in his Tour de France career.
The day started with Lorena Wiebes putting on the first yellow jersey of the inaugural Tour de France Femmes, beating Marianne Vos in a sprint finish to conclude a historic opening stage on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. Wiebes said: “I’m really happy that I was finally able to race on the Champs-Elysees. As expected it was a hard race. It feels really special to ride here in Paris and even more special to wear the yellow jersey. I was fine with the pressure because I directly put the most pressure on myself.”
Tour de France 2022: Stage 21
Movistar’s Jorgenson is now in the breakaway, with Tratnik, Burgaudeau, Dewulf, Bissegger and Martinez. Seven seconds still, a slim advantage.
Five laps and 34km remain.
Tour de France 2022: Stage 21
Bissegger gets the 20 points then.
Still a five-man group and seven seconds ahead of the peloton.
Martinez (Ineos) looking good, Movistar sending one more to join the group.
Mattia Cattaneo with a small issue, sorts it out and the mechanical issue won’t prevent him from completing the stage and Tour.
Tour de France 2022: Stage 21
Tratnik, Burgaudeau, Dewulf, Bissegger and Martinez in the intemediate sprint.
Van Aert has long-since wrapped up the Green Jersey of course.
The Belgian is right at the back of the peloton.
Tour de France 2022: Stage 21
Tratnik and Burgaudeau join Dewulf and Bissegger, they have seven seconds lead to the peloton.
Ineos trying to send somebody up? Ganna might benefit from such a move?
Now we move to an eight-second gap with 41km remaining.
Tour de France 2022: Stage 21
Stefan Bissegger makes a move!
The breakaway is just a few seconds and can’t break away from the main group, Dewulf joins him.
TotalEnergies try to send another rider up to join them, interesting tactical trend emerging. A last hurrah for a French team to gain some headlines?
Tour de France 2022: Stage 21
The French Air Force produce a wonderful tricolour above the riders in Paris.
Tour de France 2022: Stage 21
AG2R-Citroen’s Benoit Cosnefroy is up there now.
The gaps are emerging, this might not be easy to reign in and control.
The group turns into five.
Tour de France 2022: Stage 21
Through the Place de la Concorde, now we race. It’s on!
So many Danish flags, the riders curve around the Arc de Triomphe, sensational views.
Now on the downhill, the head of the course pick up speeds of 61kmph.
Jan Tratnik (Bahrain-Victorious) attacks, shortly after Jonas Rutsch (EF Education-EasyPost) had a foray.
Tour de France 2022: Stage 21
Bradley Wiggins on Eurosport: “I say it every year, that corner in 1993, I stood there, 10 years ago I took Mark Cavendish across here, a dream of mine.
“Who’ll get the victory? Look how narrow it is.
“This is my last Brad on a Bike, see you next year, au revoir.”
Tour de France 2022: Stage 21
The riders are winding through Paris and the roar from the fans is sensational to hear.
A big Danish contingent to cheer on Vingegaard, who looks very comfortable in yellow, soaking in the biggest moment of his career.
55km left, we’re nearly at the Arc de Triomphe.
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