2026 Tour de France: Stages 16 to 21

2026 Tour de France Stage 16: Evenepoel Dominates ITT, Lipowitz Abandons After Crash

Stage 16 of the 2026 Tour de France, a 26 km individual time trial in Évian-les-Bains, concluded on July 21. Riders started in reverse GC order, with several time trial specialists setting fast times before Remco Evenepoel delivered a dominant performance.

The course featured a 9.7 km climb averaging 4.3%, followed by technical descents and fast sections with many corners, making bike handling and pacing crucial.

Toms Skujins initially set the benchmark with a strong time of 34:21, but Lidl-Trek’s Skjelmose later improved the mark to 33:23, putting pressure on the GC contenders. However, the stage was also marked by a serious crash: Red Bull–BORA–Hansgrohe rider Florian Lipowitz lost control in a corner, hit the barriers with his head, and was forced to abandon after medical checks.

When Evenepoel, the 2025 World Time Trial Champion, took the start, he showed his exceptional aerodynamic position and cornering skills. He powered through the course to finish in 32:23, beating Skjelmose by more than one minute and securing his second consecutive stage victory.

Final GC leader Tadej Pogačar started last and managed to avoid a crash on the dangerous corners. Although he pushed hard in the final kilometers, he finished 28 seconds behind Evenepoel. The Belgian star continues to close the gap, reducing the GC deficit to around 4 minutes 30 seconds and keeping the overall battle alive.

After Stage 16, Pogačar retained the yellow and polka-dot jerseys, Pedersen kept the green jersey, and Del Toro remained in the white jersey. The Tour continues with Stage 18, a 175 km route from Chambéry to Voiron, where sprinters will fight for another stage victory.

2026 Tour de France Stage 17: Philipsen Wins Sprint After Van der Poel’s Perfect Lead-Out

Stage 17 of the 2026 Tour de France, a 175 km route from Chambéry to Voiron, finished on July 22 with Jasper Philipsen taking a powerful sprint victory.

The stage featured four climbs in the first 80 km, making the early breakaway difficult to control. Several riders attempted attacks, while GC teams stayed cautious to avoid losing time. UAE Team Emirates XRG worked hard to protect Tadej Pogačar and white jersey holder Isaac del Toro, although teammate Adam Yates struggled and was dropped early.

After the climbs, the race became more suitable for sprinters. A large breakaway group formed, with Mads Pedersen fighting for sprint points to defend his green jersey. He successfully won the intermediate sprint, while later attacks from riders such as Jasper Stuyven were eventually neutralized by the peloton.

In the final kilometers, Alpecin–Deceuninck controlled the race perfectly. Mathieu van der Poel delivered a powerful lead-out, bringing Philipsen into the final 200 meters in an ideal position. Philipsen launched his sprint and comfortably defeated his rivals to claim the stage victory.

After the stage, Pogačar retained the yellow and polka-dot jerseys, Pedersen kept the green jersey, and Del Toro remained in white. Philipsen closed the gap in the points classification to just 7 points, keeping his hopes of winning the green jersey alive ahead of the final stages.

2026 Tour de France Stage 18: Carapaz Wins First Stage Victory with Solo Attack

Stage 18 of the 2026 Tour de France, a 185 km route from Voiron to Méribel, ended on July 23 with Richard Carapaz claiming a brilliant solo victory.

The stage featured five climbs and one intermediate sprint. With two major mountain stages ahead, GC teams chose not to chase aggressively, allowing a large breakaway group to fight for the stage win. After several climbs, the breakaway split into a six-rider group that battled for victory on the final ascent.

During the race, several riders fought for climbing points, while the peloton successfully controlled the pace and avoided unnecessary risks. However, UAE Team Emirates XRG suffered some setbacks, with McNulty abandoning due to injury issues, while several teammates struggled with illness, which could affect their mountain-stage strategy.

On the final climb (7.1 km at an average gradient of 6.7%), the breakaway riders stopped cooperating and began attacking each other. Jonas Vingegaard’s teammate Jørgensen launched the first move, but Richard Carapaz responded strongly. The EF Education–EasyPost veteran attacked again with 4.5 km remaining and successfully dropped his rivals.

Carapaz continued his solo effort and crossed the finish line 45 seconds ahead of his closest competitors, securing EF Education–EasyPost’s first stage victory of the 2026 Tour.

After Stage 18, Tadej Pogačar kept the yellow and polka-dot jerseys, Mads Pedersen retained the green jersey, and Isaac del Toro continued to lead the young rider classification. Stage 19 will take riders from Gap to Alpe d’Huez over 128 km, with the GC contenders preparing for another crucial mountain battle.

2026 Tour de France Stage 19: Pogačar Dominates Alpe d’Huez and Secures Overall Victory

Stage 19 of the 2026 Tour de France, a 121 km mountain stage from Gap to Alpe d’Huez, became the decisive battle for the yellow jersey. Tadej Pogačar delivered a stunning performance, breaking the Alpe d’Huez KOM record and effectively securing his Tour victory.

The stage featured four climbs and one intermediate sprint, with the final ascent of Alpe d’Huez expected to decide the GC standings. Early in the race, more than 40 riders formed a large breakaway group, including climbers and points contenders such as Richard Carapaz, Mads Pedersen, and other stage hunters.

As the race approached Alpe d’Huez, the breakaway group gradually split, while UAE Team Emirates XRG and Red Bull–BORA–Hansgrohe controlled the peloton. The gap was reduced to a manageable distance, setting up a direct GC battle on the final climb.

With around 13 km remaining, Pogačar launched a powerful solo attack and quickly dropped his rivals. Riding at an incredible pace, he chased down and passed the remaining breakaway riders one by one.

Remco Evenepoel focused on defending second place overall and attacked with 6 km to go, successfully creating a gap over Isaac del Toro and other contenders. Del Toro responded strongly to maintain his third place and strengthen his lead in the young rider classification.

Near the summit, only Carapaz, Martins, and Kuss remained ahead of Pogačar. Although they briefly worked together, Pogačar continued his relentless pursuit. After catching them, he launched a final acceleration in the last kilometers and dropped all remaining rivals.

Pogačar crossed the finish line alone, winning the stage, setting a new Alpe d’Huez KOM record, and extending his GC advantage to more than seven minutes. With this dominant performance, he effectively secured his fourth Tour de France overall victory.

Carapaz finished third on the stage but earned enough climbing points to take the polka-dot jersey, adding a stage win and the KOM title to his impressive Tour performance.

After Stage 19, Pogačar held the yellow jersey, Pedersen kept the green jersey, Carapaz took the polka-dot jersey, and Del Toro remained in white. Stage 20 will feature another mountain challenge from Le Bourg-d’Oisans to Alpe d’Huez over 170.9 km.

2026 Tour de France Stage 20: Carapaz Wins Queen Stage After Kuss Crashes Twice

Stage 20 of the 2026 Tour de France, a brutal 170.9 km mountain stage from Le Bourg-d’Oisans to Alpe d’Huez, delivered a dramatic battle between the breakaway riders. With Tadej Pogačar already securing the yellow jersey, stage victory became the main target for the attackers.

The queen stage featured five major climbs, including Col du Galibier and Alpe d’Huez, with more than 5,500 meters of elevation gain. Many riders attacked early, forming a large breakaway group that was later reduced to a small group of contenders including Sepp Kuss, Richard Carapaz, Jai Hindley, and Juan Ayuso.

UAE Team Emirates XRG controlled the peloton to protect Isaac del Toro’s white jersey, while Pogačar maintained a steady pace instead of launching attacks. This allowed the breakaway riders to fight for the stage win.

On the final climb, Kuss and Carapaz became the main contenders. Kuss repeatedly attacked and built a small gap, but Carapaz refused to give up and continued chasing. During the final descent, Kuss suffered two crashes, with the second one nearly sending him off the road. Although he escaped with minor injuries, he lost his advantage and was caught by Carapaz.

Carapaz took the lead and powered toward Alpe d’Huez, eventually winning the queen stage by around 30 seconds. The EF Education–EasyPost rider secured his second stage victory and confirmed his victory in the mountains classification, adding the combativity award to his impressive Tour performance.

Behind him, Remco Evenepoel attacked on the final climb and passed Kuss to take second place, while Kuss finished third after his unfortunate crashes.

Pogačar and Del Toro crossed the finish line together, showing the champion’s support for his teammate. After Stage 20, Pogačar kept the yellow jersey, Pedersen retained the green jersey, Carapaz won the polka-dot jersey, and Del Toro secured the white jersey.

The 2026 Tour de France will conclude with Stage 21, an 89 km final circuit race in Paris.

2026 Tour de France Stage 21: Van der Poel Wins on Champs-Élysées as Pogačar Claims Fifth Overall Title

The 2026 Tour de France came to an exciting conclusion on July 27 with the traditional Paris final stage. Mathieu van der Poel won the sprint on the Champs-Élysées, while Tadej Pogačar secured his fifth Tour de France overall victory.

The final stage was shortened to 89 km due to ongoing wildfire emergencies in France. After entering Paris, riders completed four city laps featuring three climbs of Montmartre (1 km at 6.5%), adding extra opportunities for attackers and classics specialists before the final sprint showdown.

The race began with the traditional celebration ride, as riders enjoyed the moment after completing 21 demanding stages across the Pyrenees, Massif Central, Vosges, Jura, and Alps. Once the peloton reached central Paris, the pace increased, and several riders attempted attacks.

With the overall standings already decided, riders were free to chase stage glory. On the Montmartre climbs, Pogačar and Van der Poel reignited their rivalry, forming a leading group with Mads Pedersen and Remco Evenepoel. The quartet built a gap of more than 20 seconds, creating tension before the final laps.

During the final Montmartre ascent, Pogačar and Van der Poel dropped their rivals and entered the Champs-Élysées with a small advantage. Pogačar chose not to contest the sprint, while Van der Poel continued fighting against the chasing sprinters behind.

Despite fading strength in the final meters, Van der Poel produced a powerful sprint to take the victory. His teammate Jasper Philipsen finished second, giving Alpecin–Deceuninck a perfect result.

After Stage 21, Pogačar won the yellow jersey and claimed his fifth Tour de France title. Pedersen secured the green jersey, Carapaz won the polka-dot jersey, and Del Toro took the white jersey. The 2026 Tour de France officially came to a spectacular finish in Paris.

(Image source: Tour de France organizers)