Newly-crowned Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar had his image projected on to the Burj Khalifa after winning the world's most famous cycling race on Sunday.
The Slovenian rookie rode triumphantly into Paris in the race leader's yellow jersey at just 21 years old.
The UAE Team Emirates rider became the Tour's youngest champion since 1904 as Ireland's Sam Bennett won the 21st and final stage after the eight-lap dash around the Champs-Elysees to clinch the green sprint points jersey.
The Dubai Sports Council released a picture of Pogacar on the Burj with the message: "We congratulate the leadership and people on the ocassion of UAE Team Emirates' sensational triumph at the 107th edition of Tour de France, one of the most prestigious global cycling race.
"This win is the latest addition to UAE's ever-growing list of achievements on the global stage."
The Tour will forever be remembered for a dramatic last-gasp turnaround as Pogacar grabbed the overall lead when his rival Primoz Roglic suffered a mountainside meltdown on the penultimate day.
This storied edition of the century-old race packed with thrills and spills will be equally recalled for outsprinting the dark shadow of Covid-19.
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5 key moments in UAE Team Emirates' Tour de France triumph
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1). Alexander Kristoff begins with a bang: In what would prove a sign of things to come, UAE Team Emirates’ leading sprinter claimed the first stage victory with a powerful sprint finish in Nice. The team would claim two yellow jerseys throughout the duration of the Tour: the first and the last. Reuters -
2). Tadej Pogacar clinches maiden stage: After racing along in the top 10, the eventual champion proved his mettle – and skill – by edging out race leader and title favourite Primoz Roglic for his first Tour de France win on Stage 9. This win saw Pogacar kickstart his climb up the standings. Reuters -
3). Pogacar strikes again: The Slovenian had moved up into the top two places by Stage 13 and was trailing Roglic by 44 seconds. He once again got the better of his compatriot at the end of Stage 15 to shave four seconds off the lead, which proved invaluable come the penultimate stage. AFP -
4). Pogacar wins the Tour: In one of the most dramatic turn of events in the Tour’s long and illustrious history, Pogacar powered to a spectacular win in the 20th stage’s mountain time trial, finishing one minute and 21 seconds ahead of his nearest challenger. Most crucially, he was well clear of Roglic to overhaul his compatriot, snatch the yellow jersey and become the youngest Tour de France winner in 116 years. Reuters -
5). Pogacar’s coronation: As the final stage through Paris is largely processional, save for a sprint finish, Pogacar was all but crowned champion after his herculean efforts in the time trial. Still, the moment he safely crossed the finish line down the Champs Elysees, nestled safely in the peloton, to confirm his title will live long in the memory for UAE Team Emirates. Reuters
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Starting two months late due to the global pandemic, the race set off under strict health guidelines in Nice with doubts it would make it all the way to Paris.
But after 3,400km of intense racing the 146 remaining riders embarked Sunday for a parade of the winners until the hotly-disputed sprint in Paris.
The race was a triumph of organisation after the French president gave them the green light to belatedly stage the event, although just 5,000 fans lined Sunday's finish due to the health protocol.
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Pogacar crowned Tour de France champion
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UAE Team Emirates rider Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia, is seen wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, and Deceuninck-Quick Step rider Sam Bennett of Ireland, wearing the green jersey, before the official start. REUTERS -
Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar (L) of UAE-Team Emirates wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey and Irish rider Sam Bennett (R) of Deceuninck Quick-Step team wearing the best sprinter green jersey greet each other before the start of the 21th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 122 km from Mantes la Jolie to Paris, France. EPA -
Slovenia's Primoz Roglic, left, who lost his overall leader's yellow jersey to Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, right, gets a hug during the twenty-first and last stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 122 kilometers (75.8 miles), from Mantes-La-Jolie to Paris, France. AP Photo -
Italy's Elia Viviani wears a face mask reading "No To Racism" as he arrives for the start of the twenty-first and last stage of the Tour de France cycling race. AP Photo -
Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar of the UAE Team Emirates, bearer of the Yellow T-shirt waves from the podium before the start of the 21st and last stage of the Tour de France 2020 cycling race over 122km from Mantes-La-Jolie to Paris, France. EPA -
Team UAE Emirates rider Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey attends the start of the 21st and last stage of the 107th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 122 km between Mantes-la-Jolie and Champs Elysees Paris. AFP -
Team UAE Emirates rider Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey (3rd-L) and Team UAE Emirates riders ride during the 21st and last stage of the 107th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 122 km between Mantes-la-Jolie and Champs Elysees Paris. AFP -
Team Jumbo rider Slovenia's Primoz Roglic waits prior to the 21st and last stage of the 107th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 122 km between Mantes-la-Jolie and Champs Elysees Paris. AFP -
Spectators watch the peloton passing by during the 21st stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 122 km from Mantes la Jolie to Paris, France. EPA -
Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar (2-nd L) of the UAE Team Emirates, flanked by teammates, wears the overall leader's yellow jersey as waiting for the start of the 21st and last stage of the Tour de France 2020 cycling race over 122km from Mantes-La-Jolie to Paris, France. EPA
