Tadej Pogacar Shatters Alpe d’Huez Record With Stunning Solo Win at Tour de France 2026

KUALA LUMPUR, JULY 2026 – Tadej Pogacar strengthened his grip on the 2026 Tour de France after producing a dominant solo attack to win Stage 19 on the iconic Alpe d’Huez climb.

The UAE Team Emirates-XRG leader accelerated away from his general classification rivals during the final ascent and caught the remaining breakaway riders before powering clear to the summit finish. His victory further underlined his superiority in the mountains and placed him in a commanding position ahead of the final decisive stages.

Pogacar completed the Alpe d’Huez climb in a record time of 35 minutes and 27 seconds, more than one minute faster than the previous benchmark set by Marco Pantani nearly three decades earlier. The performance marked one of the fastest and most impressive ascents ever recorded on the legendary mountain.

The Slovenian launched his attack shortly after the riders began the 13.8-kilometre climb, which carries an average gradient of 8.1 percent and includes sections reaching 11 percent. Despite the steep slopes, Pogacar quickly opened a gap over his nearest rivals and began closing on the leading breakaway group.

Richard Carapaz, Lenny Martinez and Sepp Kuss were among the riders ahead of Pogacar during the final climb. However, the yellow jersey holder maintained an extraordinary pace and caught the leaders before the final kilometre.

Martinez attempted to remain with Pogacar during the closing stages, but the four-time Tour champion proved too strong and accelerated again near the finish. Martinez secured second place for Bahrain Victorious, while Carapaz finished third for EF Education-EasyPost.

Pogacar’s victory increased his advantage over Remco Evenepoel to seven minutes and 11 seconds in the overall standings. With only one more mountain stage remaining before the race concludes in Paris, his lead appears increasingly difficult to overcome.

The Stage 19 route covered 127.9 kilometres from Gap to Alpe d’Huez and ended with the mountain’s traditional 21-hairpin ascent. The climb is one of the most famous in cycling and has frequently played a decisive role in determining the Tour de France champion.

Pogacar had not contested the victory in the previous three stages, but his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammates controlled the pace before the final climb. Felix Grossschartner helped position the Slovenian ahead of the decisive attack, allowing the race leader to conserve energy before launching his move.

The victory was Pogacar’s fifth stage success of the 2026 Tour de France and the 26th Tour stage win of his career. His record-breaking performance on Alpe d’Huez added another major achievement to an already dominant campaign.

The riders will return to Alpe d’Huez during Stage 20, but through a more demanding route from Le Bourg-d’Oisans. The 170.9-kilometre stage includes 5,450 metres of climbing and major ascents such as the Col de la Croix de Fer, Col du Télégraphe, Col du Galibier and Col de Sarenne.

Although another difficult mountain test remains, Pogacar’s advantage means he is now firmly on course to secure his third consecutive Tour de France title when the race finishes in Paris.