The Tour de France reigns: Pogacar and Ferrand-Prévot voted best cyclists of 2025

As the end of 2025 approaches and many riders are already preparing for the new season, L’Équipe took one last look back at the cycling year. The Vélo d’Or ceremony – cycling’s equivalent of the Ballon d’Or – was held in Paris, where the sport’s top awards were handed out.

In the men’s category, Tadej Pogacar once again claimed the top prize. The Slovenian superstar won practically everything there was to win in 2025, finishing ahead of Mathieu van der Poel, Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel in the voting. It marks the third consecutive year in which the world champion has secured the Vélo d’Or. And he wasn’t done yet.

Pogacar also received the Eddy Merckx Trophy, awarded to the best Classics rider of the season. He won three Monuments and reached the podium in the other two. The UAE Team Emirates – XRG leader did not attend the ceremony but shared a recorded message: "Hello everyone, it is a great honour and pleasure to receive this award. Unfortunately I did not feel well enough to come and celebrate with you all. I’m very sorry about that, but thank you for the support.”

Other men’s awards included Kévin Vauquelin, who was named best French rider, and Matteo Trentin, who received the Gino Mäder Trophy for his social and humanitarian engagement. A new award was also announced: starting in 2026, the Mark Cavendish Trophy will honour the season’s best sprinter.

The women’s category proved far more competitive. Demi Vollering and Lorena Wiebes were both strong contenders for the top honour, but the award ultimately went to Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. Returning to road racing, the French star won both the Tour de France Femmes and Paris-Roubaix, earning herself the prestigious Vélo d’Or.

Ferrand-Prévot also claimed the prize for best French rider. Wiebes did not leave empty-handed either: after winning races such as Milan–Sanremo and Gent–Wevelgem, she received the Eddy Merckx Trophy as the season’s best Classics rider. And who knows - when Wiebes eventually retires, might the award for best sprinter become the Lorena Wiebes Trophy? One can only hope.