Pogacar Extends Tour de France Dominance with Alpe d’Huez Victory
Tadej Pogacar claimed his fifth stage win of the 2026 season, increasing his general classification advantage over Remco Evenepoel to more than seven minutes following a decisive climb on the iconic French mountain.
Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogacar secured a commanding victory on stage 19 of the 2026 Tour de France, executing a solo attack on the Alpe d’Huez climb to further cement his position in the general classification. The four-time champion completed the punishing ascent in 35 minutes and 27 seconds, extending his overall lead to more than seven minutes ahead of second-placed Remco Evenepoel.
Pogacar initiated his decisive move with 12 kilometres remaining on the climb. He caught rivals Richard Carapaz and Lenny Martinez inside the final two kilometres before dropping both riders with 800 metres left to the summit. The victory marks Pogacar’s fifth stage win of the 2026 season and his 26th Tour de France stage victory since his debut in 2020, despite it being his first-ever stage win on the Alpe d’Huez.
Lenny Martinez finished second, six seconds behind Pogacar, while Richard Carapaz took third, nine seconds back. Evenepoel finished the stage in sixth place, two and a half minutes behind the winner. The result significantly widens the gap between the top two riders in the overall standings, leaving Evenepoel with a substantial deficit to overcome in the remaining stages.
The race dynamics shifted dramatically earlier in the event following the withdrawal of Jonas Vingegaard, who had been second in the general classification. Vingegaard withdrew after a crash on stage 15 at the Plateau de Solaison, which also involved several Visma-Lease a Bike teammates and Isaac Del Toro. Vingegaard was treated for a right arm injury and transported by ambulance, while Pogacar avoided the incident entirely.
In the battle for the best young rider’s white jersey, Isaac Del Toro and Paul Seixas remain in contention. Del Toro sits at 9 minutes and 42 seconds behind Pogacar in the overall standings, with Seixas at 10 minutes and 6 seconds. Their rivalry is set to conclude on Saturday’s penultimate stage before the final procession into Paris. Meanwhile, Lenny Martinez has moved up to fifth overall, sitting just nine seconds ahead of Mattias Skjelmose.
