Pogacar secures victory on Alpe d'Huez, nearing fifth Tour de France title

By Kwame Ofori — 24 July 2026 — 5 min read

Tadej Pogacar, the reigning champion, is close to achieving a record-equalling fifth Tour de France title after a significant win on stage 19 to Alpe d’Huez. The rider for UAE Team Emirates-XRG managed to close a gap of over three minutes on a breakaway group during the final climb to the ski resort, which was lined with numerous spectators.

Pogacar, who is 27 years old, aims to join an elite group of riders with five Tour victories, including Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain. He currently holds a substantial lead of seven minutes and 11 seconds over Remco Evenepoel of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, despite Evenepoel’s improved climbing performance this year. Pogacar’s teammate, Isaac del Toro, from Mexico, is in third place and leads the white young riders’ classification, trailing by nine minutes and 42 seconds.

Alpe d’Huez: A Historic Climb

Alpe d’Huez has been a significant feature of the Tour de France for more than 70 years, known for its 21 hairpins. The race is set to visit the summit twice this year, first on stage 19 via the traditional route, and then again the following day from the east, concluding on the final three bends after crossing the Col de Sarenne. This double-header is expected to be crucial in determining the yellow jersey winner.

The climb has seen many historic moments. The first true mountain-top finish in the Tour’s history occurred here on July 4, 1952, when Fausto Coppi won a 266km stage from Lausanne to Alpe d’Huez. His victory secured him the yellow jersey, which he maintained to win his second Tour title. Another notable win was by Luis ‘Lucho’ Herrera in 1984, who became South America’s first Tour stage winner, attacking with approximately 10km remaining and holding off Laurent Fignon by 49 seconds.

The 1986 Tour featured a dramatic duel between teammates Bernard Hinault and Greg LeMond on stage 18 to Alpe d’Huez. Despite initial team orders for LeMond to cede the stage to Hinault, the power struggle between them was evident throughout the climb. In 1997, Marco Pantani set a record for the fastest ascent of Alpe d’Huez, completing the 14.5km climb in 37 minutes and 35 seconds. This record was later surpassed by Pogacar’s recent ascent.

More recently, Geraint Thomas became the only rider to win on Alpe d’Huez while wearing the yellow jersey in 2018. Tom Pidcock, at 22 years old, became the youngest rider to win on Alpe d’Huez in 2022, a title previously held by Herrera for 38 years.

Pogacar’s recent ascent saw him set a new record time on the final climb of 35 minutes and 27 seconds, surpassing Pantani’s 1997 time. He crossed the finish line six seconds ahead of Lenny Martinez of Bahrain-Victorious, with Richard Carapaz of EF Education-Easypost finishing three seconds later in third place.

Team Support and Race Dynamics

During his record-setting climb, Pogacar pursued the remaining breakaway riders alone before being joined by his British teammate, Adam Yates. Yates assisted in pacing Pogacar through the crowds, which were reported to be dangerously close to the riders. Yates, 33, has been a loyal domestique to Pogacar since 2023 and is contracted for two more seasons. His support came just days after he had been ill and vomited after stage 16’s time trial, spending the subsequent two stages riding slowly at the back of the field.

Pogacar expressed his gratitude, stating that Adam provided a significant morale boost and that he was happy to ride behind him on the climb. Yates’ identical twin, Simon Yates, retired in January after winning the 2025 Giro d’Italia and the 2018 Vuelta a España.

Further down the field, Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek continues to hold the green points jersey, having extended his lead over Jasper Philipsen. Carapaz’s aggressive riding earned him the polka-dot King of the Mountains jersey, taking it from Pogacar by a single point.

Tour de France 2026: Alpe d'Huez fans — Image caption,Where's Tadej? Thousands watched the race on Alpe d'Huez Credit: bbc.co.uk

Concerns have been raised regarding crowd control on Alpe d’Huez, particularly with the large number of fans packing the Alpine climb. Social media videos showed fans partying into the night, hindering official vehicles and police. Some team trucks and race vehicles faced difficulties navigating the climb on Friday morning. Reports indicate that police had to force cyclists to walk early in the morning, a common rule on major Tour climbs.

The atmosphere on Alpe d’Huez is often described as a “natural stadium” for cycling, attracting fans globally. Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet of Groupama-FDJ United likened it to a “long tunnel that lasts 13km; there’s constant noise.” Riders, including Paul Seixas and Remco Evenepoel, have voiced concerns about safety due to the dense crowds. Seixas hopes to avoid crashing, while Evenepoel noted that fans can sometimes impede movement during attacks. Hundreds of police officers are expected to manage the crowds, with Danish and Dutch police also invited to assist.

The Tour de France will return to Alpe d’Huez for the second consecutive day on Saturday for its mountainous ‘queen’ stage, which includes an additional 2,000 metres of climbing.