Pogacar Wins Stage Six at Tourmalet, Regains Yellow Jersey

Pogacar’s Record-Breaking Performance

Tadej Pogacar delivered a dominant victory on the Tourmalet climb, striking with just over four kilometres remaining on the 17‑kilometre ascent, 43 km from the stage’s finish at Gavarnie‑Gedre. He crossed the line 2 minutes 38 seconds ahead of rival Jonas Vingegaard, reclaiming the yellow jersey from Torstein Traeen after the Norwegian’s lead of 7 minutes 53 seconds had already evaporated. Midway up the mountain the Slovenian declared to his team radio, “I’m good guys, I’m good,” a confidence that signaled what was to come. Pogacar later said the win ranks among his top five of 23 career Tour stage victories, calling it “crazy teamwork.”

Rival Reactions and Tactical Fallout

Vingegaard’s Visma‑Lease a Bike squad tried to counter Pogacar’s surge by deploying satellite riders earlier in the day, but the effort proved futile and left them on the back foot. The Danish rider described the day as “very tough, not the day I wanted,” yet emphasized, “I still believe in myself, I still believe my legs will get better. The fight is not over.” This was the 17th occasion the pair have occupied the top two spots in a single Tour stage. Despite the disappointment, Vingegaard remains focused on pursuing a rare Giro d’Italia‑Tour double.

Shift in Overall Standings

Isaac del Toro moved into third overall, sitting 3 minutes 27 seconds behind Pogacar after edging out Remco Evenepoel on the stage. Evenepoel, now fourth, trails del Toro by a mere three seconds, keeping the battle for the podium tight. The stage results have reshaped the general classification, giving Pogacar a commanding advantage heading into the second week.

The stage underscored Pogacar’s current supremacy and set the tone for the remainder of the race, while Vingegaard and the rest of the peloton prepare to chip away at the gap in the upcoming climbs.