This Wednesday, the fifth stage of the Tour de France featured a 33-kilometer individual time trial around Caen. This day, eagerly anticipated for its potential to reshuffle the cards in the general classification, lived up to all expectations. Remco Evenepoel won the stage with a show of power, but it was Tadej pogacar who achieved the biggest success by donning the yellow jersey. For his part, jonas vingegaard had a complicated day, conceding more than a minute to his main rivals.
A demonstration by Evenepoel
A time trial specialist, Remco Evenepoel fully embraced his status. From the first intermediate point, the Belgian set a pace superior to all his competitors. He maintained a high tempo throughout the 33 kilometers, on a fast but windy course, with a few false flats and technical bends. He won with a time of 36 minutes and 42 seconds, relegating Pogacar to 16 seconds and the Italian Edoardo Affini to 33 seconds.
Pogacar in total control
Having already won the day before in Rouen for his hundredth career victory, Tadej Pogacar confirmed his exceptional form. After a perfectly managed time trial, he never struggled and finished second in the stage, just 16 seconds behind Evenepoel. This performance allowed him to take the yellow jersey from Mathieu Van der Poel, who had been wearing the jersey for two days. Pogacar now leads his main competitors in the general classification, notably Vingegaard and Evenepoel, who is around twelve seconds behind according to provisional estimates.
Vingegaard released
The biggest disappointment of the day was Jonas Vingegaard, who failed to live up to expectations. The Dane, a two-time Tour winner, finished more than a minute and twenty seconds behind Evenepoel, an unexpected underperformance in an exercise he usually masters. This result raises questions about his fitness, particularly after his heavy crash at the Tour of the Basque Country in April. Although nothing is decided yet, Vingegaard already finds himself having to react in the upcoming mountain stages.
A general classification upset
Before this stage, the general classification was extremely tight. Van der Poel held the yellow jersey, closely followed by Pogacar and Vingegaard, less than ten seconds behind. The hierarchy was shaken up in Caen: Pogacar now leads the general classification, with a 42-second lead over Evenepoel, while Vingegaard is more than a minute and a half behind.
The sixth stage will link Bayeux to Vire Normandie tomorrow over a flat profile of 201,5 kilometers, favorable to sprinters.
