Tour de France 2025: Kaden Groves clinches historic solo victory, Tadej Pogacar nears Yellow glory

Tour de France 2025: Australian Kaden Groves claimed his maiden Tour stage win while Tadej Pogacar remains on track to secure his fourth overall title.

Published on: Jul 26, 2025, 22:15:03 IST

By HT US Desk

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Tour de France 2025: Australian sprinter Kaden Groves stormed to his first Tour de France stage win on Saturday, sealing a solo victory on Stage 20 after a daring attack in slippery, treacherous conditions. While the stage belonged to Groves, the overall Tour narrative remained centered on Tadej Pogacar, who stayed safely in the main peloton, preserving his commanding 4:24 lead over rival Jonas Vingegaard, reported BBC.

Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar is on track to secure his fourth Tour de France title. (AFP)

According to the report, the 26-year-old Slovenian will seal his title defense on Sunday, the final day. The race is expected to be largely ceremonial, running 132.3 km from Mantes-la-Jolie to Paris, with three loops around Butte Montmartre before the celebratory sprint finish on the Champs-Elysees.

Unless disaster strikes, Pogacar, according to Reuters, will be claiming the Tour de France title, cementing his status as one of cycling’s modern legends.

Also read: Belgian rider Tim Wellens secures maiden stage 15 win at Tour de France 2025

Kaden Groves’ triumph adds to earlier stage wins

Groves’, 26, win on Saturday added to his earlier stage victories at Vuelta a Espana and Giro d’Italia, completing a rare Grand Tour treble. Riding for Alpecin-Deveuninck, Groves held off late chasers to take the 184.2 km stage from Nantua, finishing in four hours, six minutes, and nine seconds. Dutch rider Frank van den Broek placed second (+54s), with Pascal Eenkhoorn close behind in third (+59s), the BBC report added.

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Tour de France 2025: Brave ride, close call

However, Groves’ win did not come without drama. Just 21 km from the finish, he narrowly avoided disaster when Spain’s Ivan Romeo and France’s Romain Gregoire crashed on a rain-slicked descent, reported Reuters. With exceptional bike-handling skills, Groves stayed upright and used the moment to launch a decisive solo breakaway with 17 km to go.

Bursting into tears at the finish, Groves said that all he is ever asked is whether he is good enough to win the Tour de France. “And now I have shown them. It is incredible,” he told Reuters.

FAQs

Q1. What is the total distance of the Tour de France?

The full 2025 Tour de France covers approximately 3,492 kilometres over 21 stages.

Q2. Why was today's Tour de France stage not contested for the general classification?

The penultimate stage is traditionally raced but does not significantly affect the general classification unless accidents or major time losses occur. The final stage on Sunday is processional until the last few laps.

Q3. What happens when a Tour de France rider needs the toilet?

Riders often relieve themselves discreetly during the race, sometimes while still riding or stopping briefly by the roadside. Nature breaks are an accepted part of long-distance cycling.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT US Desk
The Hindustan Times US Desk brings you the latest news and developments from across the United States. The team covers everything from breaking news and politics to sports, business, entertainment and stories that are trending across the country. Our coverage includes the White House, Congress, US elections, immigration and visa updates, H-1B, green cards, Social Security, education, jobs, layoffs, the economy, technology and major policy changes. We also closely follow stories that matter to Indian and South Asian communities in the US. The desk covers major US sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL, along with player news, injuries, schedules, results and major events. Entertainment coverage includes Hollywood, celebrities, television, streaming, music and pop culture. We also report on breaking developments, major incidents, weather, public safety, court cases and other stories making headlines across the country. When a major policy or news development affects people's everyday lives, the team works to explain what happened, what it means and what readers need to know. Alongside breaking news, the US Desk produces explainers and practical stories on topics such as immigration, Social Security, taxes, education, employment and government programmes. The team also works on science, tech, business and AI stories analyzing the impact they may have on people. The team follows developments throughout the day, keeping an eye on official announcements, public records, reliable news sources and what people are talking about across the US.Read More

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