Tadej Pogacar Stuns Everyone Just Days Before the Tour de France

Tadej Pogacar turned the first stage of the Tour de Suisse into something much bigger than just a victory. With an attack 71 km from the finish of the stage—which started and finished in Italian territory, in Sondrio, at a point where no one expected any decisive moves—the Slovenian made it clear that he’s already in Tour de France form.

The sequence was simple: Pogacar accelerated, caught and dropped the last escapee, and from there on rode alone. Behind him, a few riders try to react, but mostly without conviction. Richard Carapaz is the only one to attempt a serious chase, but he still finishes more than two minutes behind. The others—including Roglic, Bagioli, and Vacek—continue to manage the race, aware that there’s not much they can do.

Pogacar chose a transitional race to demonstrate his clear superiority. With just a few days to go before the Tour, it’s a clear signal to his rivals: if Pogacar rides with this freedom and this form, the 2026 Tour will start with an absolute favorite. And the others, for now, can only acknowledge the gap.

The 2026 Tour de France will start on July 4 in Barcelona, Spain, with a 19.6-kilometer team time trial. The Catalan capital will also host the finish of the second stage, while the third stage will cross the border and return to France, finishing in Les Angles. Pogacar is aiming for his third consecutive victory, his fifth overall (the latter would be a record shared with Miguel Indurain, Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx, and Jacques Anquetil, given that Lance Armstrong’s seven victories were stripped due to doping).