Defending champion Tadej Pogacar has won the mountain finish at the legendary ski resort of Alpe d’Huez in the Tour de France and further extended his overall lead. The world champion secured victory on his own on the 19th stage, covering 127.9 kilometres, and triumphed on the historic climb for the first time. Just a few seconds behind, France’s Lenny Martinez and Richard Carapaz from Ecuador finished in second and third place respectively.
In the overall standings, Pogacar now leads the Belgian Remco Evenepoel by over seven minutes. This means the Slovenian’s fifth overall victory is all but assured. For Pogacar, it was also his fifth stage win at the 2026 Tour and the 26th of his career.
Before Sunday’s coronation in Paris, however, Pogacar still has to tackle Saturday’s queen stage, covering 170.9 kilometres, which finishes once again at Alpe d’Huez. This time, however, the route to the ski resort will take the riders over the Col de Sarenne, with a section where no spectators will be allowed. In total, the riders face 5,450 metres of climbing and three Category 1 climbs.
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