Hautes-Pyrénées: Pogacar dominates Tourmalet stage, takes significant lead
Pogacar’s Dominance in the Pyrenees
Tadej Pogacar delivered a commanding performance on stage six of the 2026 Tour de France, riding solo to victory at Gavarnie-Gèdre after ascending the Col du Tourmalet. This win secured him an emphatic overall lead in the race. The stage, set against the backdrop of the Hautes-Pyrénées and the cliffs of the Cirque de Gavarnie, saw Pogacar extend his advantage significantly, transforming a lead of less than half a minute at La Mongie into nearly three minutes by the finish line.
His rival, Jonas Vingegaard, initially attempted to keep pace but ultimately conceded 2:38 to Pogacar, not even contesting the sprint for the finish. Pogacar’s performance drew comparisons to dominant athletes like Michael Jordan, though Pogacar himself referenced Usain Bolt and Novak Djokovic, noting their exceptional level of dominance.
This victory marks Pogacar’s 23rd stage win in the Tour de France, including 11 in the Pyrenees, making him the fifth most prolific stage winner in the history of the event. With two stage wins already secured and one gifted to teammate Isaac del Toro, Pogacar is now firmly in control of the race, with the prospect of a fifth overall win in Paris on 26 July.
The Gruelling Stage Six
The sixth stage presented a formidable challenge, venturing deep into the Pyrenees and tackling some of its most significant summits, including the Col d’Aspin and the much-feared Col du Tourmalet. The pace set by Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates XRG at the foot of the Tourmalet was described as infernal, creating a platform for Pogacar’s attack and a difficult day for many others.
The 17 kilometres of climbing on the Tourmalet reduced the peloton to just 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 race leader at the start of the day, Torstein Traeen, experienced a calamitous day, falling behind the group of favourites with 11km remaining on the Tourmalet. His difficulties continued on the descent when he crashed, eventually finishing almost 30 minutes behind Pogacar.
Five kilometres from the summit of the Tourmalet, as the lead group entered La Mongie, Pogacar and Del Toro moved ahead, with Pogacar then pressing on alone. While Vingegaard initially limited the damage, other riders like French favourite Paul Seixas, who had previously competed with Pogacar in April, had no answer to the Slovenian’s acceleration and fell further back.
Impact on the General Classification
Pogacar’s advantage over the peloton is now both physical and psychological. His domination means that many rivals are unlikely to risk challenging him, instead focusing on securing a podium or top-five position. The intensity of the race, combined with the Pyrenean climbs and stifling heat, has already led to an increasing number of abandonments daily, making the end of the first week feel as demanding as the end of the second week in other years.
Among those who abandoned was Cian Uijtdebroeks of the Movistar team, who had been suffering from gastrointestinal problems and a fever since the race began. The stage started with Alex Molenaar as a non-starter due to a heavy crash on the previous day. Early in the stage, a breakaway formed with Victor Campanaerts and Mads Pedersen, who secured points at the intermediate sprint. However, these early efforts were overshadowed by Pogacar’s later performance on the major climbs.
The race continues with Pogacar holding a significant lead.
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Source: theguardian.com
Nathan Crowley is the Sports News Writer at NewsUK, covering rugby union, golf and boxing with six years of reporting experience. He moved from regional newspapers into digital sport. He holds a degree in Journalism from Cardiff University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Cardiff, he plays amateur rugby and follows the Six Nations closely. “Speed and accuracy are not a trade-off in sport news.”
