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'Absolutely mad': Richie Porte makes Tour de France history

Richie Porte (pictured) cycling during the Tour de France.
Richie Porte (pictured) created history after becoming just the second Aussie to finish on the final Tour de France podium. (Getty Images)

Richie Porte created history at the Tour de France on the weekend after becoming just the second Australian to finish on the final podium.

The Tour de France finished in stunning fashion after Tadej Pogacar became the first Slovenian to win the race after he retained the yellow jersey in the 21st stage on Sunday, a day after he pulled off a major coup to take the overall lead.

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While Sam Bennett won the final stage, the day belonged to Team UAE Emirates rider Pogacar, who will celebrate his 22nd birthday on Monday and is the youngest man to win the race since Henri Cornet in 1904.

Pogacar, who claimed the yellow jersey from a stunned Primoz Roglic with a monumental performance in Saturday's time trial, also won the white jersey for the best Under-25 rider and the polka dot jersey for the mountains classification.

Roglic ended up second, 59 seconds behind, with Porte taking third place, 3:30 off the pace.

But Porte created history after becoming just the second Australian behind Cadel Evans to finish on the podium.

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The 35-year-old star’s deserved podium finish was even more remarkable after coming back from a punctured tyre a day earlier.

What makes the stunning career achievement more miraculous is Porte has confirmed he will revert back to a support rider, which he has done so successfully in the past.

Primoz Roglic (pictured left) Tadej Pogacar (pictured middle) and Richie Porte (pictured right) during the 107th Tour de France 2020, Stage 21 a 122km stage from Mantes-La-Jolie to Paris Champs-Élysées.
Primoz Roglic (pictured left) Tadej Pogacar (pictured middle) and Richie Porte (pictured right) during the 107th Tour de France 2020, Stage 21 a 122km stage from Mantes-La-Jolie to Paris Champs-Élysées. (Photo by Stephan Mantey - Pool/Getty Images)

“It’s been a long journey for me with the Tour. I’ve had some bad luck, some dramas but to finally get on the podium, it’s just the most incredible feeling,” Porte said.

“It’s absolutely mad. It’s a dream that’s come true.

“When you grow up watching the Tour, for me as a kid in Australia watching it at all sorts of hours, then to finally come away with a podium position it’s everyone’s dream to be honest.

“There are a lot of people that have not so nice things to say about you, but there’s a lot of people that believe in you and this really means the world to me.”

With AAP