Nat Bromhead
Caleb Ewan has won the final stage of the 2019 Tour de France.
The perfectly-timed and precision win on the famed cobbles of the Champs d’ Elysees in Paris made it celebration number three at this year’s race for the 25yo Aussie.
Coming from 10th wheel for the victory, the Lotto Soudal rider made it look easy and enjoyed his most convincing win of his debut Tour.
“It’s unbelievable,” Caleb said shortly after the finish. “To be honest I almost had tears in my eyes … I can’t believe I just won the stage.”
“In the first half of the Tour de France it was like I could never get there,” Caleb said, referring to his various podium places of this year’s race. “But in the second half it came together and now I can’t believe I just won on the Champs ‘d Elysees.”
“Today I was patient, I waited, then I just ran. I went down the right hand side. Once I moved out it was quite bumpy but I had enough speed ’til the end.”
As Caleb and teammates celebrated another young rider, 22yo Egan Bernal of Team Ineos, was being carried on the shoulders of teammates after formally winning the 2019 Tour. Egan Bernal is the youngest ever winner of the Tour de France since the inception of the yellow jersey 100 years ago.
The last Australian to win on the Champs-Elysées was Robbie McEwen in 2002. The last debutant to win on the Champs-Elysées was Tom Boonen on 2004. The last debutant to win three stages at the Tour was Peter Sagan in 2012.
2019 TDF INDIVIDUAL GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
- Egan Bernal (Team Ineos)
- Geraint Thomas (Team Ineos) at 1’11’’
- Steven Kruijswijk (Team Jumbo-Visma) at 1’31’’
