The 2026 Tour de France brought an all-time classic battle over two of cycling’s finest talents, each with their own strengths and styles. The drama unfolded day after day, filled with daring breakaways, clever team strategies, and unexpected twists. The race reached its peak on the toughest stage of the event, with Pogacar’s dominance stealing the spotlight. While the green jersey fight between Pedersen and Philipsen kept fans guessing, the yellow jersey race had a clear resolution. The suspense vanished in the final 42km of stage six, at the top of the Col du Tourmalet near La Mongie. It was there that Tadej Pogacar launched his famous, relentless assault, leaving Jonas Vingegaard and the rest of the contenders gasping in his wake. Pogacar, 27, is aiming to become the joint-most successful rider in the Tour's history with five wins, alongside Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.
This wasn’t just a moment—it was the end of the race. Pogacar’s move was exactly as it always is: sharp, brutal, and effective. He opened a lead so large that it was impossible to close. Marc Madiot, the ex-FDJ United boss who was on RMC radio calling the race, summed it up plainly: “There was one single rider who attacked in this Tour: Tadej Pogacar. He attacked once, and everyone understood it was finished.” The race didn’t turn into a struggle afterward. Instead, it became a parade, with Pogacar setting the pace and everyone else following. The question of whether he’d be five-time champion was no longer a question, but a fact, and on Sunday night, he sealed his place in history. Pogacar has a dominant lead over Belgium's Remco Evenepoel of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe of seven minutes 11 seconds, despite the Belgian's improved climbing form this year.
A record unlike any other
Pogacar now sits in the exclusive club of five-time Tour winners with Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Induráin. Yet, his journey there is unique. He is the youngest of the group, and unlike the others, he has never dealt with injury, scandal, or uncertainty. The path to this achievement was smooth, unbroken, and unchallenged. His rivals tried, but none came close to his strength and strategy. From the first stage to the last, Pogacar was in total control, without even a hint of weakness. Contrast that with the struggles of past champions. Hinault finished his fifth Tour with a broken nose, looking as though he’d been in a bar fight. Merckx’s 1974 victory was marred by a severe thigh wound that required constant care, including cream, plasters, and foam. Induráin faced a crisis on the Massif Central while en route to victory. Even Anquetil came close to defeat in 1964, when Raymond Poulidor nearly overtook him before a puncture cost him the final time trial. Pogacar, however, had none of these trials. His performance was so dominant that the race felt less like a competition and more like a historical inevitability.
On stage 19 to Alpe d'Huez, the defending champion pulled more than three minutes back on a breakaway group on the hors category final climb up to the famous ski resort, which was flanked by thousands of spectators from all around the world. Isaac del Toro remains third, nine minutes 42 seconds down, but retains the white jersey for leading the young riders' classification. The peloton will take on Alpe d'Huez once again on Saturday for the three-week race's mountainous 'queen' stage, which includes an extra 2,000 metres of climbing. Pogacar crossed the line six seconds ahead of France's Lenny Martinez of Bahrain-Victorious, who thumped his handlebars several times in frustration as he finished. Ecuador's in-form rider Richard Carapaz of EF Education-Easypost, who won Thursday's stage to Ocieres Merlette, finished a further three seconds behind in third. A 40-plus strong breakaway had established a lead over the peloton and yellow-jersey wearer Pogacar by several minutes mid-stage, but the main pack began to slowly reel them in. It was Martinez, the USA's Sepp Kuss of Visma-Lease a Bike and a typically animated Carapaz who eventually emerged as the three seemingly set to battle for victory as they began Alpe d'Huez's legendary twisting ribbons of tarmac. But Pogacar had other ideas and set a record time on the final climb of 35 minutes 27 seconds - beating the time set by Italy's legendary Marco Pantani in 1997.
Pogacar’s legacy in the making
By many measures, Pogacar has already outpaced Miguel Induráin, a rider who ruled Grand Tours but avoided the one-day Classics. Pogi, in contrast, has won 13 Monument Classics and two world road titles. His achievements span not only the multi-day tours but also the most prestigious one-day races. He is building a career that combines the endurance of a Grand Tour specialist with the speed of a Classics rider. While Hinault still leads in Grand Tour victories and major one-day wins, Pogacar’s record is expanding at a rapid pace. A 40-plus strong breakaway had established a lead over the peloton and yellow-jersey wearer Pogacar by several minutes mid-stage, but the main pack began to slowly reel them in. It was Martinez, the USA's Sepp Kuss of Visma-Lease a Bike and a typically animated Carapaz who eventually emerged as the three seemingly set to battle for victory as they began Alpe d'Huez's legendary twisting ribbons of tarmac. But Pogacar had other ideas and set a record time on the final climb of 35 minutes 27 seconds - beating the time set by Italy's legendary Marco Pantani in 1997.
Yet Merckx still holds an edge in numbers—five world titles, seven Grand Tours, and a one-hour record that many thought unbreakable. But Pogacar is crafting a legacy that is modern, clean, and full of promise. He is younger, more versatile, and seemingly more resilient. Unlike some of the legends who came before him, he has done it all with a calm and unshaken confidence. With Paul Seixas and Remco Evenepoel emerging as threats, the future looks bright—but for now, Pogacar is at the top. And if he chooses to race in 2027, the record books may soon bear his name once more.