Pogacar crushes Tour de France rivals on the Tourmalet, opening a 2:38 gap over Vingegaard and all but sealing overall victory
Tadej Pogacar attacked 43 kilometres from the finish on the Col du Tourmalet and never looked back, winning stage six and taking the yellow jersey with a lead of over two and a half minutes over Jonas Vingegaard.
The attack on the Tourmalet
On the first serious mountain stage of the 2026 Tour de France, Tadej Pogacar delivered a blow that left his rivals reeling. The 186-kilometre stage from Pau to Gavarnie-Gèdre, with over 4,000 metres of climbing, was circled by UAE Team Emirates as the day to strike. Pogacar attacked on the slopes of the Col du Tourmalet, 43 kilometres from the finish, and no one could follow. He powered up the 2,115-metre giant, then descended at speeds sometimes exceeding 110 km/h, extending his advantage all the way to the line.
We rode as if we had nothing to lose. If we exploded, so be it. But it worked.
The damage in the general classification
Pogacar crossed the line with a 2-minute-38-second advantage over Jonas Vingegaard, the largest single-stage gap he has put into the Dane in years. The other podium contenders, including Remco Evenepoel, Paul Seixas and Juan Ayuso, lost close to three minutes. The victory, Pogacar's 23rd Tour stage win, also returned the yellow jersey to his shoulders, a position he had briefly held after stage three. The gap to Vingegaard in the overall standings now stands at 2 minutes and 42 seconds.
- The peloton rolls out of Pau for the 186 km stage with over 4,000 metres of climbing.
- UAE Team Emirates lifts the pace before the first climb, shedding sprinters including Arvid de Kleijn, who later abandons.
- The first major climb of the Tour sees UAE continue to drive hard, reducing the front group.
- Pogacar attacks 43 km from the finish on the Col du Tourmalet. No rival can follow.
- Pogacar descends at speeds over 110 km/h, extending his lead over Vingegaard and the chasers.
- Pogacar wins the stage by 2:38 over Vingegaard and takes the yellow jersey.
Vingegaard and the peloton react
Jonas Vingegaard admitted disappointment but refused to concede the Tour. He said he chose his own tempo when the attack came and limited losses on the climb itself, but lost significant time on the descent and the valley run-in. Marc Reef, Head of Racing at Visma-Lease a Bike, called the 2-minute-40 deficit "quite a lot" and a disappointment the team must process. Others were more blunt. Tiesj Benoot, teammate of Paul Seixas, said he feared the Tour was already decided for first place. Juan Ayuso echoed that the fight for the top step in Paris looked over.
I am disappointed, but that is life sometimes. I still believe in myself and my legs can get better. The fight is not over.
UAE's planned dominance
UAE Team Emirates had identified stage six as a target before the race. Pogacar said he woke up at 7 a.m. excited, knowing it would be a good day. Teammate Isaac del Toro, who reclaimed the white jersey, called it "mission complete." The team set a ferocious tempo from early in the stage, shedding sprinters like Arvid de Kleijn, who later abandoned. By the foot of the Tourmalet, only around twenty riders remained in the front group, and Pogacar's five remaining teammates drove the pace before his decisive move.
I fear the Tour is already decided for first place. It was man against man today, it is clear. If you take more than two minutes... what can I say?
What it means for the rest of the race
Tour director Christian Prudhomme designed the 2026 route with the hardest stages in the final week, hoping to keep the suspense alive until the end. Pogacar's demolition on the Tourmalet has shredded that plan. Barring crashes or illness, his third consecutive Tour victory appears almost certain. The race continues for another two weeks, but the question now shifts from who will win to who will join Pogacar on the podium in Paris.
