Tour de France 2026: Tadej Pogacar wins on Alpe d’Huez
Reigning champion Tadej Pogacar is on the verge of winning a record-equalling fifth Tour de France after scoring a storming victory over Alpe d’Huez on stage 19.
The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider pulled away from the breakaway group by more than three minutes in the horse category final climb to the famous ski resort, surrounded by thousands of spectators from around the world.
Pogacar, 27, aims to become the most successful cyclist in Tour history with five wins, alongside Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.
Pogacar has a lead of seven minutes and 11 seconds over Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe’s Belgian Remco Evenepoel, despite the Belgian improving his climbing performance this year.
Pogacar’s Mexican teammate Isaac del Toro was third and nine minutes and 42 seconds behind in the lead jersey of the white young drivers’ classification.
The peloton will take on Alpe d’Huez once again on Saturday for the mountainous ‘queen’ stage of the three-week race, which includes an extra 2,000 meters of climbing.
“It was great to win here; there was a crazy atmosphere on the climb and I’m grateful to the team for being able to do it,” Pogacar said.
“When I hear some men’s voices [were] when did it fall [team-mate] Felix [Grosschartner] I set a very good pace at the beginning of the climb, I was already using full throttle because the break was so strong. Every kilometer of Alpe d’Huez my legs were good and not many people could follow [me]”
Pogacar crossed the line six seconds ahead of France’s Bahrain-Victorious Lenny Martinez, who repeatedly hit the handlebars in frustration as he crossed the line.
EF Education-Easypost’s in-form Ecuadorian rider Richard Carapaz, who won Thursday’s stage against Ocieres Merlette, finished third, a further three seconds behind.
A 40-plus strong breakaway gave the peloton and yellow jersey-wearing Pogacar the lead by a few minutes mid-stage, but the main group slowly began to rally them.
Embarking on the legendary twisting tarmac lanes of Alpe d’Huez, it was USA’s Visma-Lease a Bike’s Sepp Kuss, Martinez and the typically animated Carapaz who emerged as the three men seemingly ready to fight for victory.
But Pogacar had other ideas and clocked a record time on the final climb of 35 minutes and 27 seconds, beating the time set by Italy’s legendary Marco Pantani in 1997.
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