Tour de France stage 21 – Live coverage

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the final stage of the Tour de France, from Mantes-la-Jolie to Paris.

There's just under 40 minutes to go until the racing begins on the road to Paris today, though the riders will roll out a little earlier of course.

Don't expect a frantic start today, though – as usual, the real racing will begin when the riders enter Paris later this afternoon.

One mountain point up for grabs early on, but that classification has already been decided, of course. Tadej Pogačar won yesterday with the fastest time La Planche des Belles Filles.

Pogačar is also the overall winner – yellow jersey – and the best young rider – white jersey.

Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-QuickStep) should secure the green jersey today, while Movistar have won the team classification.

At the start in Mantes-la-Jolie, riders will wear masks with a message against racism. Riders will roll out of Yvelines, the home of B&B Hotels rider and the only black rider in the Tour Kevin Reza, before the start.

And the riders roll out to begin the stage.

More messages of unity at the start.

Primož Roglič and Tadej Pogačar embrace at the front of the peloton. Both men are smiling, good to see.

Pogačar's teammate Jan Polanc plus Matej Mohorič and Luka Mezgec have joined the duo at the front. They are the only five Slovenians at the race.

UAE Team Emirates head to of the front of the peloton now after Pogačar gets on the radio. Just the six men left after the abandons of Fabio Aru and Davide Formolo. A nice photo op for the team.

The two Slovenians at the top of the GC

122km to go

Christian Prudhomme waves the flag to officially start the stage.

There were no gestures at km0. It looks like it was just the face masks and Reza getting a brief spell at the front of the peloton. Not much, really...

Deceuninck-QuickStep head to the front with green jersey Sam Bennett.

The Belgian team still has their whole squad here on the final stage. We'll see if they organise a better lead out than they have so far in the Tour – Cavagna, Mørkøv and co should be up front on the Champs-Élysées.

UAE Team Emirates at the front earlier on.

116km to go

UAE continue to ride on the front. It's an easy pace that will continue for some time yet.

We have plenty of analysis of Pogačar's stunning win yesterday. Check some of it out below.

Pogacar storms to maillot jaune on stage 20 as Roglic's Tour de France bid collapses

Pogacar rode without power meter or computer for La Planche des Belles Filles

Philippa York's Tour de France analysis: Goosebumps

111km to go

Back to the race and it's still quiet. The peloton are approaching the final climb of the Tour, the Côte de Buelle.

This Hors Categorie monste- ah wait.. This fourth-category climb offers one KOM point and is 1.9km long at an average of 3.9 per cent.

A group of Arkéa-Samsic and Total Direct Énergie riders lead the peloton onto the climb.

Clément Russo (Arkéa-Samsic) took the KOM point over the top, his first ever at the Tour de France.

Here's a look at the Colnago that Pogačar will be riding today.

Pogacar to ride yellow Colnago V3RS for Tour de France final stage in Paris

A nice shot of the peloton today.

90km to go

The peloton have sped up a bit in recent kilometres. They've just passed the 3,400km ridden mark. Pogačar is up front having a snack with his teammates.

We've picked four big favourites for the stage win today. Who do you think will take victory on the Champs-Élysées?

The peloton enter Paris, well, the outskirts anyway. Still some time to go until we get properly going.

Only 33.6km covered in the first hour of racing. I dare say a decent number of us club runners and amateurs could've kept up at that speed, probably the only hour of the Tour that would be possible...

Tour de France peloton says 'no to racism'

Move comes after Kévin Reza expressed doubts cycling could change

It wouldn't be a Tour de France without strike action along the route. Earlier today we saw the Organisation of Catering Staff in Event Management (O.P.R.E) protest at the side of the road.

Messages shown by the group included: 'We are proud to serve you, be proud to help us' and 'In service of the Republic, the RSA (welfare benefit) as a reward'.

65km to go

Our poll has just ended, and Cyclingnews readers voted for Caleb Ewan as their favourite for today's stage.

It was a close-run thing, though, with Ewan taking 29% of the vote ahead of Wout van Aert on 28.3%. Sam Bennett was third at 26.3% while Peter Sagan was fourth at 15.9%.

Votes in our mentions included Mads Pedersen, Cees Bol and Alexander Kristoff.

We'll see who got it right in 65km...

The peloton are in Paris proper now.

UAE Team Emirates continue to lead the peloton, followed by Jumbo-Visma.

Tour de France analysis: The Pogacar era

Victory in the Tour de France shows his time is now, and could well be for years to come

17km to go until the intermediate sprint, the final one of the 2020 tour de France.

The peloton passes the Louvre. They're in the centre of Paris now.

The peloton turns the corner onto the Champs-Élysées, which is spookily empty thanks to the COVID-19 restrictions.

53km to go

Jens Keukeleire (EF Pro Cycling), Connor Swift (Arkéa-Samsic), Benoit Cosnefroy (AG2R La Mondiale) and Kasper Asgreen (Deceuninck-QuickStep) all tried a move off the front as the peloton crossed through the finish line for the first time. No dice.

More riders try to make a move after heading around the Arc de Triomphe. The pace is high in the peloton now. 10km to the sprint.

Michał Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers) has a gap at the front with a small group chasing.

Andrey Amador (Ineos Grenadiers), Nicolas Edet (Cofidis), Michael Schär (CCC Team), Tom Van Asbroeck (Israel Start-Up Nation), Kasper Asgreen (Deceuninck-QuickStep), Søren Kragh Andersen (Team Sunweb) are with Kwiatkowski off the front.

They're back with the peloton now. Not much of a chance to get away at this speed.

44km to go

Ineos keep trying to make moves. The sprinter's teams will be keen to keep everything together for the sprint, though.

Deceuninck-QuickStep duo Rémi Cavagna and Julian Alaphilippe suffer punctures but quickly get going again.

Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe), Pierre-Luc Perichon (Cofidis), Connor Swift (Arkea-Samsic) and Greg Van Avermaet (CCC Team) clip off the front 2km away from the sprint.

41km to go

One kilometre until the sprint. Will Sam Bennett mathematically seal green there? Or will he have to wait until the finish?

Bennett took fifth behind the four attackers there. It doesn't look like Sagan contested that. That would be green in the bag for the Irishman – so long as he finishes.

The attack group are still hanging 20 seconds off the front. Deceuninck-QuickStep work at the head of the peloton.

Here are a couple of shots of the peloton passing through Paris today.

Thomas De Gendt is on the front for Lotto Soudal, too.

28km to go

Sunweb, QuickStep, B&B Hotels and Lotto all working for their sprinters ahead of the grand finale. Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo) crashes out of the peloton but he's back up and running.

The peloton is all strung out under the high pace at the front. It won't let up until the finish now.

Through the line once again for the peloton. Four more passages to go.

24km to go

Still a 20-second gap for the leaders as they fly down the Champs-Élysées at speeds of 60kph+.

De Gendt still pushes on at the front of the peloton. The gap is holding steady at 17-18 seconds for the time being. Not much chance of the break staying away, though.

20km to go

Just 15 seconds to the leaders now. They're still battling though, and working well together.

Back up to the Arc de Triomphe once again. Two more times around that famous landmark before their race ends at the finish line.

Here's the Olympic champion, 'Gouden Greg', leading the breakaway move. Great shot.

15km to go

The gap is down to 12 seconds now. Still the same teams working in the peloton..

The graphic immediately jumps back to 16 seconds, though. It's not much, whatever it is.

Back up the Champs once more. Deceuninck-QuickStep are back on the front, their squad lined out with a few riders from other teams in amongst them.

12km to go

With 12km left to race, the break rounds the Arc de Triomphe once again. They have a mere 10 seconds on the charging peloton now.

One more time up the Champs and around the Arc de Triomphe and then they'll just be racing for the line.

10km to go

We're inside the final 10km of the 2020 Tour de France now. 14 seconds for the break as Jumbo-Visma take to the front of the peloton.

Perichon, Van Avermaet, Swift and Schachmann arer still battling away as they pass what is normally Norwegian Corner. NTT Pro Cycling move up in the peloton.

8km to go

Connor Swift drops away from the attack group and is caught by the peloton.

The break gets the bell as they pass through the line. The next time the riders pass there, the Tour will be over.

6km to go

16 seconds for the breakaway now. I want to believe... A number of teams are spread across the road in the peloton.

5km to go

Kwiatkowski puts in another attack, but it doesn't look like he has a chance to get away.

The riders round the Arc de Triomphe for the final time. Just 10 seconds between break and peloton now.

4km to go

It's almst over for the break. Schachmann keeps pushing on alone though.

3.5km to go

And now Schachmann is caught at the end of the downhill run from the Arc de Triomphe.

QuickStep, Sunweb, Jumbo all at the front.

3km to go

A battle of the lead out trains now. Bora, Trek, Jumbo, QuickStep, Sunweb all up there en masse.

2.5km to go

Sunweb take charge at the front! Not for the first time this Tour. Can Cees Bol pull it off in Paris?

2km to go

And now Deceuninck-QuickStep mob the front with three men in front of Bennett. Cofidis and NTT are just behind.

1.5km to go

Asgreen leads the way in the peloton. This is tense!

1km to go

The final flamme rouge of the Tour! QuickStep still lead the way.

They head onto the finishing straight. Trek and QuickStep in a direct battle!

Bennett hits the front off Pedersen's wheel with 350 metres to go!

Head to head between the green jersey and the world champion!

Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-QuickStep) wins stage 21 of the Tour de France! What a sprint.

Peter Sagan took third behind Pedersen.

Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) wins the Tour de France as well as the white and polka dot jerseys. Bennett takes green.

A number of big names weren't close to the victory there. It was simply Trek vs QuickStep at the front and Bennett was just quicker than Pedersen.

The Irishman had the world champion's wheel and plenty of space to move into. Sagan and Viviani behind just didn't have the speed, even if the Italian started from a good position.

Ewan, Van Aert and Coquard filled out the lower half of the top 10. They were just too far back to contest that.

A shot of the winner in Paris, green jersey Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-QuickStep).

Here's the top 10 across the line today:

1 Sam Bennett (Irl) Deceuninck-Quickstep 02:53:32

2 Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo

3 Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe

4 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) UAE Team Emirates

5 Elia Viviani (Ita) Cofidis

6 Wout van Aert (Bel) Team Jumbo-Visma

7 Caleb Ewan (Aus) Lotto Soudal

8 Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Israel Start-Up Nation

9 Bryan Coquard (Fra) B&B Hotels-Vital Concept

10 Maximilian Walscheid (Ger) NTT Pro Cycling

And here's the final GC of the 2020 Tour:

1 Tadej Pogacar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates 87:20:05

2 Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team Jumbo-Visma 00:00:59

3 Richie Porte (Aus) Trek-Segafredo 00:03:30

4 Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Bahrain McLaren 00:05:58

5 Enric Mas Nicolau (Spa) Movistar Team 00:06:07

6 Miguel Angel Lopez Moreno (Col) Astana Pro Team 00:06:47

7 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma 00:07:48

8 Rigoberto Uran (Col) EF Pro Cycling 00:08:02

9 Adam Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott 00:09:25

10 Damiano Caruso (Ita) Bahrain McLaren 00:14:03

Race winner Tadej Pogačar crosses the line with his UAE Team Emirates teammate Jan Polanc

Our brief stage 21 report is up. Check it out here.

The French anthem plays out as the sun begins to set over Paris. The podium ceremony is soon to begin.

Bennett takes the stage in front of the Arc de Triomphe. He's clad in his Irish champion's jersey. It's been a while since we've seen him in that. All the way on his stage 10 victory, in fact.

Here's what Bennett had to say after his victory today.

"I cannot tell you how excited I am. The green jersey, the Champs Elysees - the world championships of sprinting. I never thought I'd ever be able to win this stage and to do it in green is so special.

"To do it on my dream team, Deceuninck-Quickstep, the way the boys rode all day - they were fantastic - it's just so amazing. The feeling - I can't thank everyone enough."

Marc Hirschi follows Bennett onto the podium. He's the most combative rider of the race, having been out on the attack from day one. The Sunweb youngster won stage 12, too, of course.

Hirschi accepts his award on the podium.

Next up is Bennett once again, to take his green jersey. He battled Peter Sagan for much of the race, though looked safer in the final week, finally sealing it for good in Paris this afternoon.

This is what he said about his win today...

"I was nervous about riding in the bunch because it was really fast - it doesn't seem like it on TV but it's a fast downhill. A bit nervous – but we went back and I thought I had one lap to go but then they said on the radio it was two laps to go, and I thought 'OK, I have time to recover'.

"Then we waited and waited, the boys controlled the race, came in under the tunnel first. I was thinking, too early, too early – and Trek were trying to push up and we were holding - and then into the last corner, Mørkøv started to open up and we had each side covered. I let Trek come up because I felt from the lap before there was a bit of a headwind.

"So I let them go first, and then I waited and then I opened up when Stuyven came off the front for Pedersen, I had a bike length to run at his wheel, so I ran at that - and came on the other side where it was smooth. I thought there was going to be someone to come past me - but I can't believe I got it."

Bennett takes green in Paris.

Next up is Tadej Pogačar, to take his polka dot jersey which was sealed yesterday on the time trial up La Planche des Belles Filles.

Pogačar after the finish...

"It's unbelievable. It's really crazy. Even if I didn't win - even if I came second or last, it's nice to be here. This is the top of the top. I cannot describe this feeling with words.

"Today was very special – special moments with my teammates. Finally I had some time to talk with them on the bike, not just going full gas every day. A lot of respect for the other riders. Every single one of them congratulated me today. I am really thankful. This sport is really amazing."

And he's the best young rider, too, of course. Here he is in the second of his jerseys – the maillot blanc.

And finally, the yellow jersey as winner of the general classification of the 2020 Tour de France.

And after departing the stage once more, he's back up there with runner-up Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) and Richie Porte (Trek-Segafredo) – the final podium of the 2020 Tour de France.

Pogačar gave the customary speech on the podium. Nothing immediately memorable – he thanked his team and those close to him as well as saying how incredible it was to be stood where he is.

The final prize goes to Movistar, who won the team competition for the fifth time in th last six editions.

Here's Pogačar's speech on the final podium.

We'll have news and reaction from the Tour de France coming throughout the evening and the upcoming days, so keep a lookout for that.

Marc Hirschi ends debut Tour de France with combativity prize

A spot on the final podium ends dream race for Team Sunweb, who won three stages

Sam Bennett checks off Champs-Élysées and green jersey victories at the Tour de France

'It's something I'll not forget for the rest of my life'

2020 Tour de France stage 21 highlights - Video

Watch Tadej Pogacar celebrate winning yellow and Sam Bennett claim victory on the Champs-Élysées