Tadej Pogacar made a powerful statement on the very first mountain stage of the 2026 Tour de France. The Slovenian rider from UAE Team Emirates-XRG won the sixth stage on Thursday in Gavarnie-Gèdre, after a long-range attack and a 43-kilometer solo breakaway. Already a stage winner this year, he secured his second victory in this Tour and reclaimed the yellow jersey. Pogacar launched his attack five kilometers from the summit of the Col du Tourmalet, a 17,1-kilometer climb with an average gradient of 7%. No one could follow. Once alone in the lead, he extended his advantage without letting up, crossing the finish line more than two minutes ahead of Jonas Vingegaard.
Vingegaard limits the damage, but loses big
Jonas Vingegaard finished second on the stage, 2'38" behind Pogacar. The Dane from Visma-Lease a Bike quickly realized he couldn't catch the Slovenian. He rode alone, at his own pace, for over 40 kilometers to avoid a more significant fall. Behind him, a chase group finished just twenty seconds back. This group included Isaac Del Toro, Remco Evenepoel, Paul Seixas, and Florian Lipowitz. Vingegaard therefore maintains his position among the strongest contenders in the general classification, but Pogacar has already established a significant gap in the mountains.
Torstein Traeen dropped, then fell
Yellow jersey wearer Torstein Traeen couldn't hold on to the Pyrenean stage. The Norwegian rider from Uno-X, who had worn the jersey for two days, was dropped early in the day before crashing on a descent. He was then slowed by the weather conditions, with a thunderstorm near the end of the stage. His difficult day paved the way for Pogacar's return to the yellow jersey. The Slovenian regained the lead in the Tour after a stage that significantly reshuffled the general classification.
UAE Emirates-XRG locks down the race
Team UAE Emirates-XRG perfectly controlled the day around their leader. Isaac Del Toro played a key role on the Tourmalet before finishing very strongly in the finale. The Mexican took third place in the sprint, ahead of Remco Evenepoel in fourth and Paul Seixas in fifth. This bunch sprint behind Vingegaard confirms the strength of the group of favorites, but Pogacar has already built a clear lead. With this victory, the Slovenian brings his total to 15 stage wins in the Tour de France and dons the yellow jersey once again on the first high mountain stage.
