Pogacar extends Tour de France lead with stage 14 victory

Tadej Pogacar secured his fourth stage victory of the 2026 Tour de France on Saturday, launching a decisive attack on the final climb to Le Markstein to extend his overall lead. The Slovenian rider finished ahead of his UAE Team Emirates teammate Isaac Del Toro and French cyclist Paul Seixas, while defending champion Jonas Vingegaard trailed in the group behind.

The 155-kilometre stage through the Alsace region featured three Category 1 climbs, ending at the Le Markstein ski resort. Pogacar initiated his winning move with 1.6 kilometres remaining on the Col du Haag, a move that Vingegaard was unable to match. This result marks Pogacar’s 25th career stage win and places him in rare company, as only four riders in history have won five or more Tour de France titles.

In the general classification, Pogacar now leads Vingegaard by 4 minutes and 30 seconds. Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel sits in third place, 5 minutes and 4 seconds behind, while 19-year-old Seixas has moved into fourth, trailing by 5 minutes and 19 seconds. Del Toro’s second-place finish in the stage highlights the strong support provided by Pogacar’s team throughout the race.

The stage began with a breakaway group establishing a gap of approximately two minutes after the second major ascent up Ballon d'Alsace. However, Pogacar’s teammates controlled the pace in the peloton, reducing the deficit to just over one minute before the final climb. The descent following the Grand Ballon was contested in rainy conditions, with the yellow jersey group maintaining a steady pursuit behind the initial leaders.

Looking ahead, the race moves to the French Alps for Sunday’s 15th stage, which features a Category HC climb up Plateau de Solaison. The Tour will observe its second rest day on Monday before concluding in Paris on July 26. Pogacar’s consistent performance on the major climbs suggests he is well-positioned to challenge for a fifth overall title.