This past Sunday, the Tour de France wrapped up with the final stage of the race as the riders rolled into Paris and finished the race along the Champs-Élysées.
Not surprising to cycling fans, 26-year-old Slovenian Tadej Pogačar won his fourth Tour de France. (He previously won in 2020, 2021 and 2024.)
I watched replays of most of the stages of this year’s race. Frequently, there was one rider who positioned himself at the front of the race for extended periods of time: American Quinn Simmons of my favorite team, Lidl-Trek. As the reigning United States cycling champion, Simmons sported a stars-and-stripes jersey during the race, leading the commentators to frequently refer to him as Captain America.
Although his performance wasn’t enough to win a stage of the race—he did finish second on stage 6—he still left Paris a winner.
After finishing the race, Simmons led his girlfriend, Sydney Berry, onto the faved Parisian avenue, dropped to one knee, and proposed to her in front of his teammates, media representatives, and cycling fans. She said “yes” and the celebration ensued.
In my eyes, that’s a great way to wrap up the crown jewel of professional cycling races!
I wish Quinn and Sydney a very happy life together.
PHOTO CREDIT: Quinn Simmons (third from the left) celebrates on the Champs-Elysées with the rest of the lidl-Trek squad. A few moments later, he asked Sydney Berry to marry him on Sunday, July 27, 2025. (Getty Images)
