Tadej Pogacar achieved a solo victory on stage six of the Tour de France, conquering the Col du Tourmalet and continuing to Gavarnie-Gèdre. This performance has given him a substantial overall lead in the 2026 race. Pogacar’s dominance was evident as he rode through the Hautes-Pyrénées, with only his rival, Jonas Vingegaard, initially able to maintain a chase.
Pogacar’s lead, which was under half a minute at La Mongie ski station, extended to nearly three minutes by the time he reached Gavarnie-Gèdre. Vingegaard ultimately conceded 2:38 to Pogacar on the stage. Pogacar has been described with terms like ‘ogre’, ‘monster’, and ‘beast’ due to his powerful solo efforts, which have consistently demoralised his competitors.
The pace set by Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates XRG at the base of the Tourmalet was intense. The 17 kilometres of climbing created a challenging environment for many riders, including the then-race leader Torstein Traeen, who experienced difficulties on his second day in the yellow jersey. The peloton was reduced to 16 riders midway through the climb. Among those unable to keep up were Thymen Arensman, leading the Netcompany Ineos team, and Tom Pidcock of Pinarello Q36.5.
Approximately five kilometres from the summit of the Tourmalet, as the leading group entered La Mongie, Pogacar and his teammate Isaac del Toro moved ahead, with Pogacar then pushing on alone. While Vingegaard’s initial pursuit helped limit the time loss on the final sections of the climb, Pogacar’s attack highlighted the challenge faced by riders like Paul Seixas, who had previously competed closely with the Slovenian in April but had no response on this stage.
Pogacar’s advantage over the peloton now appears to be both physical and psychological. Given his strong performance, many rivals may now focus on securing a podium or top-five finish rather than directly challenging him for the overall victory. The end of the first week of the 2026 Tour already resembles the intensity of a second week in other years, with the combination of Pogacar’s dominance, the Pyrenean climbs, and the heat contributing to an increasing number of riders abandoning the race.
Among those who abandoned was Cian Uijtdebroeks of the Movistar team, who had been dealing with gastrointestinal problems and a fever since the start of the race. For Traeen, it was a particularly difficult day. His prediction of losing contact with the leaders proved accurate, and with 11km remaining on the Tourmalet, he fell behind the group of favourites. By the summit, he was significantly behind Pogacar.
Further complications arose for Traeen on the descent of the Tourmalet when he clipped the wheel of the rider in front of him and crashed. After receiving attention from medical staff, he continued the stage, finishing almost 30 minutes behind Pogacar. This stage, which included climbs like the Col d’Aspin and the Col du Tourmalet, was part of an early visit to the high mountains of the Pyrenees.
The stage began with an official start in Pau, following a neutral service. There was one non-starter, Alex Molenaar, who had been active in breakaways and worn the polka-dot jersey but had crashed heavily the previous day. Early in the stage, Victor Campanaerts of Visma-Lease a Bike initiated an attack, soon joined by Mads Pedersen and Huub Artz of Lotto. Pedersen aimed for points in the green jersey classification, with an intermediate sprint occurring less than 60km into the race.
The leading trio established a lead of 25 seconds, which grew to 1:25. However, Artz later dropped out of the break after discussions with commissaires, reportedly due to his position on the handlebars. Pedersen secured points at the intermediate sprint before being caught by the peloton. The weather conditions were hot, with a risk of thunderstorms later in the day.
Later, a group including Ben O’Connor and Xabier Mikel Azparren went clear, with O’Connor taking points at the top of the Côte de Mauvezin. The instructions from the Decathlon DS to their riders highlighted the importance of staying alert during the small climbs to protect their leader, Paul Seixas. Pogacar is now the fifth most prolific stage winner in the history of the Tour, with 23 wins, including 11 in the Pyrenees.
Pogacar’s performance has drawn comparisons, with the rider himself citing Usain Bolt. With two stages already won and one gifted to his teammate, Pogacar is in full control of the race. His aim is to secure his fifth overall victory in Paris on 26 July.
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Source: theguardian.com
