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
95km to go: Have just been informed Pogacar will not be participating in the customary Champagne moment because they ride for UAE Team Emirates.
Tour de France latest: Stage 21
97km to go: Mikkel Bjerg jokingly celebrates taking the futile mountain point at the top of the fourth category climb.
He thrusts his hands in the air as his teammates laugh hysterically.
Racing still hasn’t got going at all yet.
Tour de France latest: Stage 21
100km to go: UAE Team Emirates wearing a special jersey today with a yellow strip through the middle. They ride 50 metres or so ahead of the peloton with Tadej Pogacar front and centre.
They’re drinking this in.
(Still no drink though)
Tour de France latest: Stage 21
101km to go: All eyes on the yellow jersey Tadej Pogacar at the start of today’s stage. No Champagne just yet though. Come on Tadej, don’t let it get all warm!
Tour de France latest: Stage 21
The four jersey wearers and Wout van Aert for good measure! All the classification leaders closely followed by the the ever-present Belgian!
Tour de France latest: Stage 21
The autograph skit certainly entertained Cavendish...
Tour de France latest: Stage 21
108km to go: Here we go then! The final stage of this year’s Tour de France is go go go!
Tour de France latest: Stage 21
Wout Poels asks Tadej Pogacar for an autograph! The man wearing the polkadot jersey and the actual winner of the polkadot jersey!
Tour de France latest: Stage 21
The riders had eight kilometres to navigate before the official start of the stage. Safe to say they are pondering along at the moment. One kilometre is taking them about five minutes.
Still a couple to go until the race gets properly underway.
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