Tadej Pogacar demonstrated significant dominance on stage six of the Tour de France, riding solo to the summit of the Col du Tourmalet and continuing to victory in Gavarnie-Gèdre. This performance secured him an emphatic overall lead in the 2026 race. His rival, Jonas Vingegaard, initially pursued but ultimately could not match Pogacar’s pace, ceding a notable amount of time by the stage’s end.
Pogacar’s ascent of the Col du Tourmalet, located in the Hautes-Pyrénées, showcased his ability to break away from the peloton. His lead, which was less than half a minute at the La Mongie ski station, expanded to nearly three minutes by the time he reached Gavarnie-Gèdre. Vingegaard finished 2:38 behind Pogacar on the stage.
The pace set by Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates XRG team at the base of the Tourmalet was described as intense, creating a challenging environment for other riders. The 17 kilometres of climbing proved to be a decisive section, reducing the peloton to 16 riders by the midway point. Among those who struggled to maintain the pace were Thymen Arensman, leading the Netcompany Ineos team, and Tom Pidcock of Pinarello Q36.5.
The stage also saw the race leader, Torstein Traeen, experience a difficult day. His second day in the yellow jersey turned into a challenging ordeal. Traeen, who had predicted he might lose contact, fell behind the group of favourites with 11km remaining on the Tourmalet. By the top of the climb, he was significantly behind Pogacar.
Further misfortune struck Traeen on the descent of the Tourmalet when he clipped the wheel of another rider, resulting in a crash. After receiving attention from doctors, he remounted his bike and completed the stage, finishing almost 30 minutes behind Pogacar.
Pogacar’s performance on this stage marked his 23rd Tour stage win, including 11 in the Pyrenees. This places him as the fifth most prolific stage winner in the history of the Tour. He has now won two stages in the current race, with another stage victory effectively gifted to his teammate Isaac del Toro, indicating his strong control over the competition.
The 113th Tour de France‘s first major mountain day in the Pyrenees was anticipated as a critical moment for riders aiming to chip away at the time difference to the yellow jersey. The penultimate climb, the Tourmalet, a legendary ascent climbed 89 times in the Tour‘s history, was expected to be a focal point for attacks. This year’s Souvenir Jacques Goddet section of the Tourmalet spans 17.2 km with an average gradient of 7.3 percent.
Hydration was crucial for riders due to the prevailing heat. The race saw various movements early on, with Mads Pedersen being the first over the initial categorized climb and later securing maximum sprint points. Remco Evenepoel briefly lost contact but rejoined the main group before the Cat. 3 Côte de Mauvezin. Ben O’Connor took the KOM points on Mauvezin.
Another classic Pyrenean climb, the Cat. 1 Col d’Aspin, served as a warm-up before the Tourmalet. O’Connor initiated a solo effort, starting the Aspin with a 1:20 advantage. Meanwhile, Juan Ayuso faced difficulties at the back of the field but managed to hold on with assistance from Gee-West and Carlos Verona. O’Connor was eventually caught midway up the Aspin.
Two French riders competed for maximum KOM points, with Lenny Martinez emerging successful, placing him three points off the polka dot jersey. As the yellow jersey group, comprising approximately 45 riders, approached the base of the Tourmalet, UAE-Emirates maintained pressure on the opening slopes. With 10.8 km remaining in the climb, Traeen struggled, as did Pidcock and Gee-West. Richard Carapaz also faded early.
Del Toro then increased the pace, with Pogacar following. Vingegaard could not match their acceleration and pursued with Florian Lipowitz. Pogacar subsequently left his teammate, initially keeping Vingegaard within a manageable distance. However, Pogacar crossed the summit 30 seconds ahead of Vingegaard and 1:30 before Paul Seixas, Lipowitz, and Del Toro, again securing the KOM lead.
Pogacar significantly extended his lead by more than double during the 17-km descent. Concurrently, Evenepoel, Ayuso, and Martinez joined the trio that included Del Toro. At the finish line, Vingegaard was +2:38 behind Pogacar. The battle for podium positions remained competitive, with Evenepoel, Seixas, Ayuso, Lipowitz, and Del Toro finishing together. Saturday’s Stage 7 is anticipated to favour sprinters.
The current general classification shows Pogacar leading Vingegaard by 2:42, with Del Toro in third place, 3:27 behind the leader. Pogacar’s commanding performance on the Tourmalet has established a significant physical and psychological advantage over his rivals. The combination of his dominance, the challenging Pyrenean climbs, and the intense heat has contributed to an increasing number of abandonments in the race.
Among those who abandoned was Cian Uijtdebroeks of the Movistar team, who had been experiencing gastrointestinal problems and a fever since the race began. Pogacar’s lead now makes it challenging for his competitors, with many likely to focus on securing a podium or top-five finish rather than directly challenging his overall position. The Tour de France is scheduled to conclude in Paris on 26 July.
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Source: theguardian.com
Ethan Brule is a Senior Hockey Writer at CasinoNews. He covered the NHL for a national Canadian outlet. He focuses on the NHL, the Maple Leafs and Team Canada and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Sports Media from Toronto Metropolitan University. Now based in Toronto, he plays beer-league hockey and follows the junior ranks. “Hockey in Canada is never only about the score.”
