The traditional final stage of the Tour de France this year underwent a radical transformation. Prudhomme, the head of the Grande Boucle, had announced that there would be no classic sprinters' parade on the Champs-Élysées, but an insidious route with three passages through Montmartre. The show was there, and the main actor was Wout van Aert.

The Flemish rider won the last stage, in difficult conditions, dropping Tadej Pogacar on the final Montmartre climb. Van Aert's success cannot be a consolation prize for Vingegaard's second place in the general classification, but must be seen as the personal success of a great rider, who in the last two years has suffered significant setbacks.

There were falls, followed by surgeries and rehabilitation, and that physical form that never seemed to return. Van Aert was often overwhelmed by despair, but each time he got back up and fought. Today in Paris, the Belgian signed another masterpiece and did so after beating Tadej Pogacar, the Slovenian champion who won his fourth Tour de France, having dictated the law from the first to the last day of the race.

"It's really special," Van Aert said after crossing the finish line. "It was a Tour where I was often on the limit and things seemed not to want to work."

For the Belgian, there was an embrace with Richard Plugge, general manager of Visma-Lease a Bike, and then with his wife Sara, with a caress to their two children, all proud of a victory that had been missing for too long.

"I had difficult moments, but I and the people around me continued to believe, and we were rewarded for all the sacrifices made. I must thank all the people who were close to me for this result."

For the Flemish rider, this is his tenth victory in the Grande Boucle and the fifty-first of his career. The last time he had crossed the finish line first in the yellow race was in 2022, and today, after 3 years, he returned to raise his arms in the French race.

"It's truly incredible how I won. At the moment, I don't realize what I've done and I'll have to review the footage to truly believe it. Sure, Pogacar had different weeks than mine, but not many can say they've lived the same weeks as I have. I'm incredibly proud of this result."

And further: "For me, this victory is incredibly gratifying. I worked hard to return to this level. During the race, I felt I hadn't reached my limit in the first two passages and I had excellent support from my team. This meant I only needed to give my maximum in the last passage. I gave my all uphill and downhill, and only then did I want to assess the situation. It turned out to be the right tactic."

For Van Aert, today's victory is worth a lot because it partially erases all the defeats he has suffered. "It's not easy to live up to the record one has. This creates expectations and that's why one always seeks victory. Today I won, it was a beautiful victory and I'm happy."