Tour de France stage win record broken by Mark Cavendish
Cavendish has surpassed the legendary Eddy Merckx for stage wins at the Tour de France after recording his 35th triumph.
unbranded – Sport
After three weeks of exhilarating competition between the sport’s greatest rivalry, historic moments and over 2,000 miles of racing, the 2024 Tour de France concludes Sunday with the Stage 21 time trial.
This year’s final stage is historic as it switches Paris’ Champs-Élysées for the Promenade des Anglais. It will be the first time the finish line is not in or near Paris because the city is hosting the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. This year will also be the first time since 1989 that the competition has ended with a time trial.
The time trial route is a 21-mile ride from Monaco to Nice, France, with rolling hills and an overall elevation gain of 695m − not a negligible figure but significantly less inclined than the recent mountainous stages.
Slovenia’s Tadej Pogačar, barring any catastrophes such as a crash that leaves him unable to finish the stage, is set to officially claim his yellow jersey after a dominant Tour de France that included five individual stage wins. After his Stage 20 victory, Pogačar, of UAE Team Emirates, stood five minutes and 14 seconds ahead of Denmarks’s Jonas Vingegaard and eight minutes and four seconds ahead of Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel.
Evenepoel is the reigning World Time Trial Champion and has the best time trial ability on paper, having won the only other time trial stage of the Tour. However, Pogačar is so far ahead that Evenepoel will realistically not be able to catch up to him.
Should Pogačar win, he will become the first man in the 21st century to win both the Giro D’Italia and Tour de France in the same season. The Slovenian will also win his third Tour de France following his victories in 2020 and 2021 and reclaim the title from rival Vingegaard, the 2022 and 2023 Champion.
Although Vingegaard will likely not achieve a coveted three-peat, his inspiring performance is an extraordinary feat considering he is coming back after having suffered serious injuries that hospitalized him for 12 days in April. After Stage 20, the Dane stood in the runner-up position, over five minutes behind Pogačar.
Harold Tejada of Astana Qazaqstan has improved on Frenchman Lenny Martinez’s time to take a 10-second lead. The Colombian now leads today’s time trial standings with a mark of 48 minutes and 14 seconds. The field’s best general classification riders are still to come.
Cavendish spoke to the media after he finished the time trial.
“It was just about enjoying it,” Cavendish said of today’s stage. “There’s no pressure for me today, which is strange for a final stage of the Tour. I knew my family were waiting at the finish and I was just absorbing it. I think I got all the emotions out of the way yesterday and I could really just enjoy today.”
Cavendish also confirmed that today’s stage was “likely” his last professional race and reflected on his career.
“I feel very lucky to have had the career I’ve had, to work with the people I have, to meet the people I have and be able to live the dream,” Cavendish said. “You see the success, you see the photos of wins, videos of wins, but it’s rare people see everything that goes in behind, everything that makes it. It’s taught me a lot about myself, it’s taught me a lot about how to be a father, and that’s the biggest thing I take from the sport.”
The green jersey is awarded to the best overall rider in the points classification. Points are awarded at stage finishes and intermediate sprints during stages, so the jersey usually designates the best overall sprinter of the Tour. Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay was awarded the green jersey this year.
The Tour de France will not finish in or near Paris for the first time in history because of the ongoing preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Instead, the race will finish in the southeastern French city of Nice. The finish line is located at the Promenade des Anglais − Nice’s version of Paris’ Champs-Elysée, the traditional finish of the tour.
Read more about the historic decision here.
After finishing Stage 21 within the time limit, Biniam Girmay of Eritrea and Intermarché-Wanty is officially the first Black rider in history to win the points classification. Girmay has had a stellar Tour de France, establishing himself as the best sprinter of the field with his three stage victories and green jersey win, even after suffering injuries that required stitches during Stage 16.
Choosing to contest the stage with a road bike instead of a time trial bike, Belgium’s Jasper Philipsen has finished the time trial in 52 minutes and 55 seconds. After a disappointing start to the competition, Philipsen turned his fortunes around, winning three sprint stages, but ultimately lost his battle for the green jersey to Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay.
One of the greatest sprinters in history has officially said farewell to cycling’s most iconic competition. Great Britain’s Mark Cavendish, 39, crossed the Tour de France finish line for the final time in a time of 54 minutes and 38 seconds. The Brit was set to retire at the end of last season but returned for a final Tour de France after he crashed out of last year’s race. Cavendish finally got his fairytale ending to his inspiring career during this year’s Stage 5, where he sprinted to victory for a record-breaking 35th career Tour de France stage win. It’s safe to say Cavendish accomplished what he came for (and more).
Green jersey wearer Biniam Girmay of Eritrea is now on the course. Girmay has had a breakout performance during this year’s competition, picking up three stage wins with his fierce sprint finishes. Despite a crash during Stage 16 that left Girmay needing stitches, the Eritrean edged out Jasper Philipsen for the green jersey (points classification). All Girmay needs to do is complete the trial within the time limit and he will become the first Black rider in history to win the green jersey accolade.
After votes from a jury and the public, Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz has been named the super-combative rider of this year’s Tour de France. Carapaz made history as the first Ecuadorian to win an individual Tour stage with his Stage 17 victory and the first to win the mountains classification after yesterday’s final group racing stage.
Italy’s Davide Ballerini was the first to set off on the course, just ahead of his Astana Qazaqstan teammate Mark Cavendish, who is beginning his final Tour de France stage of his illustrious, record-breaking career.
There will be a staggered start to the individual time trial with 90 seconds between each rider. The cyclists will start in reverse order of the general classification standings, with yellow jersey wearer Pogačar beginning the stage last at 12:45 p.m. ET. Italy’s Davide Ballerini will be the first to start at 8:40 am ET.
| Order | Start Time (ET) | BIB | Rider | Team |
| 1 | 8:40:00 | 192 | DAVIDE BALLERINI | ASTANA QAZAQSTAN TEAM |
| 2 | 8:41:30 | 191 | MARK CAVENDISH | ASTANA QAZAQSTAN TEAM |
| 3 | 8:43:00 | 124 | JARRAD DRIZNERS | LOTTO DSTNY |
| 4 | 8:44:30 | 193 | CEES BOL | ASTANA QAZAQSTAN TEAM |
| 5 | 8:46:00 | 167 | LUCA MOZZATO | ARKEA-B&B HOTELS |
| 6 | 8:47:30 | 166 | DANIEL MCLAY | ARKEA-B&B HOTELS |
| 7 | 8:49:00 | 103 | ROBBE GHYS | ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK |
| 8 | 8:50:30 | 23 | DYLAN GROENEWEGEN | TEAM JAYCO ALULA |
| 9 | 8:52:00 | 208 | SOREN WAERENSKJOLD | UNO-X MOBILITY |
| 10 | 8:53:30 | 213 | SANDY DUJARDIN | TOTALENERGIES |
| 11 | 8:55:00 | 205 | ALEXANDER KRISTOFF | UNO-X MOBILITY |
| 12 | 8:56:30 | 125 | SÉBASTIEN GRIGNARD | LOTTO DSTNY |
| 13 | 8:58:00 | 127 | HARM VANHOUCKE | LOTTO DSTNY |
| 14 | 8:59:30 | 66 | MATEJ MOHORIC | BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS |
| 15 | 9:01:00 | 106 | JASPER PHILIPSEN | ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK |
| 16 | 9:02:30 | 96 | LENNY MARTINEZ | GROUPAMA-FDJ |
| 17 | 9:04:00 | 102 | SILVAN DILLIER | ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK |
| 18 | 9:05:30 | 22 | LUKE DURBRIDGE | TEAM JAYCO ALULA |
| 19 | 9:07:00 | 73 | YVES LAMPAERT | SOUDAL QUICK-STEP |
| 20 | 9:08:30 | 122 | CEDRIC BEULLENS | LOTTO DSTNY |
| 21 | 9:10:00 | 183 | JOHN DEGENKOLB | TEAM DSM-FIRMENICH POSTNL |
| 22 | 9:11:30 | 87 | DANNY VAN POPPEL | RED BULL – BORA – HANSGROHE |
| 23 | 9:13:00 | 121 | ARNAUD DE LIE | LOTTO DSTNY |
| 24 | 9:14:30 | 175 | LAURENZ REX | INTERMARCHÉ – WANTY |
| 25 | 9:16:00 | 174 | HUGO PAGE | INTERMARCHÉ – WANTY |
| 26 | 9:17:30 | 38 | BEN TURNER | INEOS GRENADIERS |
| 27 | 9:19:00 | 27 | LUKA MEZGEC | TEAM JAYCO ALULA |
| 28 | 9:20:30 | 142 | PIET ALLEGAERT | COFIDIS |
| 29 | 9:22:00 | 172 | BINIAM GIRMAY | INTERMARCHÉ – WANTY |
| 30 | 9:23:30 | 132 | PASCAL ACKERMANN | ISRAEL – PREMIER TECH |
| 31 | 9:25:00 | 118 | MARIJN VAN DEN BERG | EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST |
| 32 | 9:26:30 | 82 | NICO DENZ | RED BULL – BORA – HANSGROHE |
| 33 | 9:28:00 | 62 | NIKIAS ARNDT | BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS |
| 34 | 9:29:30 | 148 | AXEL ZINGLE | COFIDIS |
| 35 | 9:31:00 | 108 | GIANNI VERMEERSCH | ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK |
| 36 | 9:32:30 | 217 | ANTHONY TURGIS | TOTALENERGIES |
| 37 | 9:34:00 | 218 | MATTEO VERCHER | TOTALENERGIES |
| 38 | 9:35:30 | 207 | RASMUS TILLER | UNO-X MOBILITY |
| 39 | 9:37:00 | 143 | BRYAN COQUARD | COFIDIS |
| 40 | 9:38:30 | 98 | CLÉMENT RUSSO | GROUPAMA-FDJ |
| 41 | 9:40:00 | 163 | CLÉMENT CHAMPOUSSIN | ARKEA-B&B HOTELS |
| 42 | 9:41:30 | 165 | RAUL GARCIA PIERNA | ARKEA-B&B HOTELS |
| 43 | 9:43:00 | 105 | AXEL LAURANCE | ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK |
| 44 | 9:44:30 | 113 | STEFAN BISSEGGER | EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST |
| 45 | 9:46:00 | 25 | CHRISTOPHER JUUL-JENSEN | TEAM JAYCO ALULA |
| 46 | 9:47:30 | 101 | MATHIEU VAN DER POEL | ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK |
| 47 | 9:49:00 | 128 | BRENT VAN MOER | LOTTO DSTNY |
| 48 | 9:50:30 | 144 | SIMON GESCHKE | COFIDIS |
| 49 | 9:52:00 | 214 | THOMAS GACHIGNARD | TOTALENERGIES |
| 50 | 9:53:30 | 176 | MIKE TEUNISSEN | INTERMARCHÉ – WANTY |
| 51 | 9:55:00 | 161 | KÉVIN VAUQUELIN | ARKEA-B&B HOTELS |
| 52 | 9:56:30 | 215 | FABIEN GRELLIER | TOTALENERGIES |
| 53 | 9:58:00 | 26 | MICHAEL MATTHEWS | TEAM JAYCO ALULA |
| 54 | 9:59:30 | 44 | RYAN GIBBONS | LIDL-TREK |
| 55 | 10:01:00 | 55 | PAUL LAPEIRA | DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE TEAM |
| 56 | 10:02:30 | 123 | VICTOR CAMPENAERTS | LOTTO DSTNY |
| 57 | 10:04:00 | 5 | CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE |
| 58 | 10:05:30 | 75 | GIANNI MOSCON | SOUDAL QUICK-STEP |
| 59 | 10:07:00 | 83 | MARCO HALLER | RED BULL – BORA – HANSGROHE |
| 60 | 10:08:30 | 54 | DORIAN GODON | DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE TEAM |
| 61 | 10:10:00 | 17 | TIM WELLENS | UAE TEAM EMIRATES |
| 62 | 10:11:30 | 56 | OLIVER NAESEN | DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE TEAM |
| 63 | 10:13:00 | 155 | OIER LAZKANO | MOVISTAR TEAM |
| 64 | 10:14:30 | 117 | SEAN QUINN | EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST |
| 65 | 10:16:00 | 57 | NANS PETERS | DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE TEAM |
| 66 | 10:17:30 | 178 | GEORG ZIMMERMANN | INTERMARCHÉ – WANTY |
| 67 | 10:19:00 | 198 | HAROLD TEJADA | ASTANA QAZAQSTAN TEAM |
| 68 | 10:20:30 | 14 | NILS POLITT | UAE TEAM EMIRATES |
| 69 | 10:22:00 | 153 | DAVIDE FORMOLO | MOVISTAR TEAM |
| 70 | 10:23:30 | 6 | BART LEMMEN | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE |
| 71 | 10:25:00 | 173 | KOBE GOOSSENS | INTERMARCHÉ – WANTY |
| 72 | 10:27:00 | 131 | STEPHEN WILLIAMS | ISRAEL – PREMIER TECH |
| 73 | 10:29:00 | 152 | ALEX ARANBURU | MOVISTAR TEAM |
| 74 | 10:31:00 | 114 | RUI COSTA | EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST |
| 75 | 10:33:00 | 137 | KRISTS NEILANDS | ISRAEL – PREMIER TECH |
| 76 | 10:35:00 | 72 | JAN HIRT | SOUDAL QUICK-STEP |
| 77 | 10:37:00 | 7 | JAN TRATNIK | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE |
| 78 | 10:39:00 | 212 | MATHIEU BURGAUDEAU | TOTALENERGIES |
| 79 | 10:41:00 | 91 | DAVID GAUDU | GROUPAMA-FDJ |
| 80 | 10:43:00 | 47 | JASPER STUYVEN | LIDL-TREK |
| 81 | 10:45:00 | 86 | MATTEO SOBRERO | RED BULL – BORA – HANSGROHE |
| 82 | 10:47:00 | 187 | FRANK VAN DEN BROEK | TEAM DSM-FIRMENICH POSTNL |
| 83 | 10:49:00 | 116 | NEILSON POWLESS | EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST |
| 84 | 10:51:00 | 92 | KÉVIN GENIETS | GROUPAMA-FDJ |
| 85 | 10:53:00 | 201 | MAGNUS CORT | UNO-X MOBILITY |
| 86 | 10:55:00 | 156 | GREGOR MÜHLBERGER | MOVISTAR TEAM |
| 87 | 10:57:00 | 202 | JONAS ABRAHAMSEN | UNO-X MOBILITY |
| 88 | 10:59:00 | 33 | JONATHAN CASTROVIEJO | INEOS GRENADIERS |
| 89 | 11:01:00 | 35 | MICHAL KWIATKOWSKI | INEOS GRENADIERS |
| 90 | 11:03:00 | 8 | WOUT VAN AERT | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE |
| 91 | 11:05:00 | 157 | NELSON OLIVEIRA | MOVISTAR TEAM |
| 92 | 11:07:00 | 136 | HUGO HOULE | ISRAEL – PREMIER TECH |
| 93 | 11:09:00 | 2 | TIESJ BENOOT | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE |
| 94 | 11:11:00 | 58 | NICOLAS PRODHOMME | DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE TEAM |
| 95 | 11:13:00 | 97 | QUENTIN PACHER | GROUPAMA-FDJ |
| 96 | 11:15:00 | 206 | JOHANNES KULSET | UNO-X MOBILITY |
| 97 | 11:17:00 | 46 | TOMS SKUJINS | LIDL-TREK |
| 98 | 11:19:00 | 67 | WOUT POELS | BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS |
| 99 | 11:21:00 | 16 | MARC SOLER | UAE TEAM EMIRATES |
| 100 | 11:23:00 | 37 | GERAINT THOMAS | INEOS GRENADIERS |
| 101 | 11:25:00 | 93 | ROMAIN GREGOIRE | GROUPAMA-FDJ |
| 102 | 11:27:00 | 186 | OSCAR ONLEY | TEAM DSM-FIRMENICH POSTNL |
| 103 | 11:29:00 | 182 | WARREN BARGUIL | TEAM DSM-FIRMENICH POSTNL |
| 104 | 11:31:00 | 134 | JAKOB FUGLSANG | ISRAEL – PREMIER TECH |
| 105 | 11:33:00 | 85 | BOB JUNGELS | RED BULL – BORA – HANSGROHE |
| 106 | 11:35:00 | 168 | CRISTIAN RODRIGUEZ | ARKEA-B&B HOTELS |
| 107 | 11:37:00 | 204 | TOBIAS JOHANNESSEN | UNO-X MOBILITY |
| 108 | 11:39:00 | 52 | BRUNO ARMIRAIL | DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE TEAM |
| 109 | 11:41:00 | 203 | ODD CHRISTIAN EIKING | UNO-X MOBILITY |
| 110 | 11:43:00 | 15 | PAVEL SIVAKOV | UAE TEAM EMIRATES |
| 111 | 11:45:00 | 65 | JACK HAIG | BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS |
| 112 | 11:47:00 | 181 | ROMAIN BARDET | TEAM DSM-FIRMENICH POSTNL |
| 113 | 11:49:00 | 216 | JORDAN JEGAT | TOTALENERGIES |
| 114 | 11:51:00 | 32 | EGAN BERNAL | INEOS GRENADIERS |
| 115 | 11:53:00 | 77 | ILAN VAN WILDER | SOUDAL QUICK-STEP |
| 116 | 11:55:00 | 115 | BEN HEALY | EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST |
| 117 | 11:57:00 | 95 | VALENTIN MADOUAS | GROUPAMA-FDJ |
| 118 | 11:59:00 | 48 | CARLOS VERONA | LIDL-TREK |
| 119 | 12:01:00 | 158 | JAVIER ROMO | MOVISTAR TEAM |
| 120 | 12:03:00 | 42 | JULIEN BERNARD | LIDL-TREK |
| 121 | 12:05:00 | 4 | WILCO KELDERMAN | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE |
| 122 | 12:07:00 | 151 | ENRIC MAS | MOVISTAR TEAM |
| 123 | 12:09:00 | 171 | LOUIS MEINTJES | INTERMARCHÉ – WANTY |
| 124 | 12:11:00 | 84 | JAI HINDLEY | RED BULL – BORA – HANSGROHE |
| 125 | 12:13:00 | 211 | STEFF CRAS | TOTALENERGIES |
| 126 | 12:15:00 | 34 | LAURENS DE PLUS | INEOS GRENADIERS |
| 127 | 12:17:00 | 111 | RICHARD CARAPAZ | EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST |
| 128 | 12:19:00 | 141 | GUILLAUME MARTIN | COFIDIS |
| 129 | 12:21:00 | 51 | FELIX GALL | DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE TEAM |
| 130 | 12:23:00 | 21 | SIMON YATES | TEAM JAYCO ALULA |
| 131 | 12:25:00 | 64 | SANTIAGO BUITRAGO | BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS |
| 132 | 12:27:00 | 41 | GIULIO CICCONE | LIDL-TREK |
| 133 | 12:29:00 | 135 | DEREK GEE | ISRAEL – PREMIER TECH |
| 134 | 12:31:00 | 3 | MATTEO JORGENSON | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE |
| 135 | 12:33:00 | 31 | CARLOS RODRIGUEZ | INEOS GRENADIERS |
| 136 | 12:35:00 | 18 | ADAM YATES | UAE TEAM EMIRATES |
| 137 | 12:37:00 | 74 | MIKEL LANDA | SOUDAL QUICK-STEP |
| 138 | 12:39:00 | 12 | JOAO ALMEIDA | UAE TEAM EMIRATES |
| 139 | 12:41:00 | 71 | REMCO EVENEPOEL | SOUDAL QUICK-STEP |
| 140 | 12:43:00 | 1 | JONAS VINGEGAARD | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE |
| 141 | 12:45:00 | 11 | TADEJ POGACAR | UAE TEAM EMIRATES |
Here’s what the general classification standings look like heading into the final stage.
| Position | Rider | Times | Gap |
| 1 | Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) | 82h 53′ 32” | – |
| 2 | Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) | 82h 58′ 46” | + 00h 05′ 14” |
| 3 | Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) | 83h 01′ 36” | + 00h 08′ 04” |
| 4 | Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) | 83h 10′ 17” | + 00h 16′ 45” |
| 5 | Mikel Landa (Soudal Quick-Step) | 83h 10′ 57” | + 00h 17′ 25” |
| 6 | Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) | 83h 14′ 43” | + 00h 21′ 11” |
| 7 | Carlos Rodriguez (INEOS Grenadiers) | 83h 14′ 44” | + 00h 21′ 12” |
| 8 | Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) | 83h 17′ 58” | + 00h 24′ 26” |
| 9 | Derek Gee (Israel – Premier Tech) | 83h 18′ 22” | + 00h 24′ 50” |
| 10 | Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) | 83h 19′ 20” | + 00h 25′ 48” |
Here’s what the individual jersey leaderboard looks like heading into the final stage. Barring any catastrophe from the leaders, these standings are unlikely to change unless the leaders fail to finish the time trial.
- Yellow (general classification): Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates)
- Green (points classification): Biniam Girmay (Intermarché – Wanty)
- White (young rider classification): Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep)
- Polka dot (mountains classification): Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost)
- Yellow numbers (teams classification): UAE Team Emirates