The 2024 Tour de France concluded with Slovenian sensation Tadej Pogaar of UAE Team Emirates claiming his third overall Tour de France victory after wins in both 2020 and 2021. Pogaars dominance was evident throughout the race, particularly in the mountains and during key stages where he distanced himself from his closest rivals, including Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel.Here, we explore the key highlights of this years Tour and shine a spotlight on the riders who proudly flew the flag for Ireland.Key highlights of the raceTadej Pogaars dominancePogaar took control early, securing the yellow jersey on the second stage and maintaining it with consistent high performance. His decisive attack on the final climb of the 19th stage to Isola 2000 showcased his climbing prowess, finishing 21 seconds ahead of Matteo Jorgenson and extending his overall lead to over five minutes by the end of the race.The time trial featured a 21-mile ride from Monaco to Nice with an elevation gain of 695 metres. Pogaar led his rivals, Vingegaard and Evenepoel, through every checkpoint. This year marked the first time since 1989 that the Tour de France concluded with a time trial.After three weeks of thrilling competition between cyclings greatest rivals, Pogaar and Vingegaard, along with historic moments and over 2,000 miles of racing, this years final stage was unprecedented. The race concluded not on Paris Champs-lyses but on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. This marked the first time the finish line was moved out of Paris due to the city hosting the 2024 Olympic Games.Pogaar is also no stranger to victory, becoming the first man in the 21st century to win both the Giro dItalia and the Tour de France in the same season, an impressive feat for the 25-year-old.Stage wins and leadersNotable stage victories in this years Tour de France included Frances Romain Bardets nostalgic win on Stage 1, Mark Cavendishs record-breaking victory on Stage 5, and Richard Carapazs impressive triumph on Stage 17, becoming the first Ecuadorian to win a Tour stage.Here is an overview of the final jersey standings for the 2024 Tour de France: Yellow (general classification): Tadej Pogaar (UAE Team Emirates) Green (points classification): Biniam Girmay (Intermarch-Wanty) White (young rider classification): Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) Polka dot (mountains classification): Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) Yellow numbers (teams classification): UAE Team Emiratescredit: ASO/Enhanced NRGeneral Classification:Pogaar finished with a time of 78:49:20, followed by Vingegaard (+503) and Evenepoel (+701). The top ten was rounded out by riders like Joao Almeida and Mikel Landa, who also put in strong performances.Irish riders in the spotlightIrelands very own Ben Healy and Sam Bennett represented the country at this years Tour with remarkable grit and determination:Ben HealyCompeting in his first Tour de France, Healy showed promise, particularly in the mountain stages. Born in England with Irish heritage on his fathers side, the 23-year-old displayed tenacity and potential, gaining valuable experience that will benefit his future Grand Tour aspirations.Healys performance highlighted his capabilities as a climber and a future contender in multi-stage races. It wont be long until we see Healy back in the saddle either, as he prepares to represent Ireland at this years Olympic Games in Paris.Sam BennettKnown for his sprinting prowess, Tipperarys very own Sam Bennett aimed to secure stage victories and points for the green jersey in his first Tour de France in four years.Although he faced stiff competition, Bennetts resilience and sprinting skills kept him in contention on several flat stages. His efforts were commendable, and he enjoyed his best placing in the race at Stage 16, before being forced to withdraw after Stage 17 due to illness.The 2024 Tour de France was marked by its challenging routes, including high mountain passes and two individual time trials that kept the competition intense until the final stage. In September, LEtape by Tour de France makes its Irish debut in Killarney, an event which is certainly not to be missed!