Tour de France 2020 - Brilliant Sam Bennett wins in Paris as Tadej Pogacar secures yellow jersey

ByEurosport

Updated 20/09/2020 at 23:12 GMT

Sam Bennett won Stage 21 of the Tour de France in Paris to secure the points classification green jersey as Tadej Pogacar took the overall title after three weeks of dramatic Grand Tour racing. Bennett only needed to finish safely on the Champs Elysees to secure green, but made it a truly special day for Irish cycling with a famous stage win.

Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates Yellow Leader Jersey, White Best Young Rider Jersey and Polka Dot Mountain Jersey / Sam Bennett of Ireland and Team Deceuninck - Quick-Step Green Points Jersey / Celebration / Trophy / during the 107th Tour

Image credit: Getty Images

Sam Bennett won on the Champs-Elysées as the 2020 Tour de France came to a special conclusion in Paris.

UAE Team Emirates’ Tadej Pogacar crossed the line safely with his team-mates in the yellow jersey as the 21-year-old won the Tour de France at his first attempt.

The traditional final stage procession into Paris saw Pogacar soak in the celebrations following his extraordinary performance in Saturday’s Stage 20 time trial on La Planche des Belles Filles, where he took almost two minutes out of his rival Primoz Roglic to take the title in dramatic fashion.

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WATCH – Sam Bennett wins on the Champs Elysees

After outscoring his closest rival Peter Sagan (Bora Hansgrohe) at the day's intermediate sprint, Bennett only needed to finish the stage safely to secure the points classification green jersey, the Deceuninck – Quick-Step rider capped off his ride in special fashion with a stage win in Paris that will live long in the memory.

After the stage Bennett summed up the final week of his Tour de France experience.

All the suffering through the mountains, it's worth it now. All the years coming up, trying to make it, it took me so long to get here. I'm sorry if I'm coming across too arrogant, I'm just trying to enjoy it.

'To do it in green is so special' - Sam Bennett reflects on Champs Elysees win

British rider, Connor Swift, was part of a four-man breakaway that animated the stage, but the years when an escape can deny the peloton are few and far between. Some fantastic chasing work from Thomas De Gendt and Pierre Rolland effectively sealed the sprint finish with four kilometres to go.

As well as yellow, Pogacar will also receive the white and polka dot jerseys on the podium in Paris this evening, the eve of this 22nd birthday. He says he's not much of a birthday guy, though.