2026 Tour de France: Stages 6 to 10

2026 Tour de France Stage 6: Pogačar Dominates in the Mountains to Reclaim Yellow

Stage 6 of the 2026 Tour de France took the riders 186.2 km from Pau to Hautacam and delivered the first major mountain battle of this year's race. Featuring five categorized climbs, including the legendary Col du Tourmalet and the final ascent to Hautacam, the stage was expected to reshape the general classification—and it did.

An early breakaway was allowed to build a gap, but UAE Team Emirates–XRG steadily controlled the race before catching the escapees on the lower slopes of the Tourmalet. With a powerful climbing train, UAE dramatically reduced the lead group, leaving only the main general classification contenders.

On the Tourmalet, Isaac del Toro set a relentless pace before Tadej Pogačar launched a decisive attack with 4.5 km remaining on the climb. Jonas Vingegaard immediately responded and briefly limited the gap, but Pogačar proved unstoppable, producing one of the strongest climbing performances of his career.

After extending his advantage on the descent, Pogačar attacked again on the final climb to Hautacam and crossed the finish line alone. Vingegaard finished second, 2 minutes and 40 seconds behind, while Del Toro recovered to take third after outsprinting the chasing group.

The stage also brought disappointment for former race leader Torstein Træen, who crashed on the descent after losing contact with the favorites. The Uno-X Mobility rider suffered multiple rib fractures and a mild concussion, ending his hopes of defending the yellow jersey.

Following the stage, French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated the riders at the finish, praising their performances over the Pyrenean climbs.

After Stage 6, Tadej Pogačar reclaimed both the yellow and polka-dot jerseys, Mads Pedersen retained the green jersey, and Isaac del Toro continued to lead the young rider classification in white.

Stage 7 will take the peloton 175 km from Argelès-Gazost to Bordeaux, where the sprinters are expected to return to the spotlight.

2026 Tour de France Stage 7: Merlier Times His Sprint Perfectly for First Stage Win

Stage 7 of the 2026 Tour de France covered 175 km from Argelès-Gazost to Bordeaux and ended in a high-speed bunch sprint, as expected on the flat route.

Two riders formed the day's early breakaway, collecting the available mountain and intermediate sprint points before being caught by the peloton with just over 20 km remaining. Despite extreme heat throughout the stage, the race stayed under normal regulations, with riders relying on ice packs and constant hydration to cope with the conditions.

As the finish approached, several sprint teams battled for position. Alpecin–Deceuninck controlled the final kilometers and delivered Jasper Philipsen into a strong position for the sprint.

However, Tim Merlier of Soudal Quick-Step produced a perfectly timed acceleration. Using Philipsen's slipstream before launching his sprint on the left side of the road, Merlier surged past both Philipsen and Søren Wærenskjold in the closing meters to claim his first stage victory of the 2026 Tour de France.

The general classification remained unchanged after the sprint stage. Tadej Pogačar retained both the yellow and polka-dot jerseys, Mads Pedersen continued to lead the points classification in green, and Isaac del Toro remained the best young rider in the white jersey.

Stage 8 will take the peloton 182 km from Périgueux to Bergerac, where another bunch sprint is expected.

2026 Tour de France Stage 8: Merlier Storms to Second Sprint Victory

Stage 8 of the 2026 Tour de France covered 180.4 km from Périgueux to Bergerac and finished with another dramatic bunch sprint.

Three riders formed the early breakaway, collecting the day's mountain and intermediate sprint points before the peloton gradually closed the gap. In the final 30 km, only Lotto's Lennert Van Eetvelt (the lone breakaway rider) continued the escape, while his two companions sat up and rejoined the peloton.

The lone escapee held off the chasing pack until just 1.2 km from the finish, forcing the sprint teams to work hard throughout the finale. The prolonged chase exhausted several lead-out trains, and many teams lost their organization before the final sprint.

Inside the last 400 meters, the peloton briefly became disorganized as the lead-out formations broke apart. Rather than launching his sprint immediately, Soudal Quick-Step's Tim Merlier waited patiently, moved to the left side of the road, and unleashed a powerful late acceleration. Using his superior top-end speed, Merlier surged past multiple rivals in the closing meters to secure his second stage victory of the 2026 Tour de France.

The general classification remained unchanged after another sprint stage. Tadej Pogačar retained both the yellow and polka-dot jerseys, Mads Pedersen continued to lead the points classification in green, and Isaac del Toro remained the best young rider in the white jersey.

Stage 9 will take the peloton 185 km from Malemort to Ussel, where a successful breakaway could have its best opportunity to fight for stage victory before the first rest day.

2026 Tour de France Stage 9: Van der Poel Returns to Winning Ways with Breakaway Victory

Stage 9 of the 2026 Tour de France was shortened from 185 km to 155 km due to extreme heat, creating the perfect opportunity for a successful breakaway. Featuring four categorized climbs, the rolling route favored aggressive riders over the sprinters.

After several unsuccessful attacks, a strong breakaway finally established a small advantage. UAE Team Emirates–XRG kept the gap under control for much of the stage, hoping to give Tadej Pogačar a chance to contest the uphill finish. However, the chasing peloton never allowed the escapees more than a narrow margin.

As the race entered the final climbs, INEOS Grenadiers and Lidl–Trek joined the chase, reducing the gap to less than 30 seconds. Sensing the danger, Mathieu van der Poel attacked on the final short, steep climb alongside Tom Pidcock, Tobias Halland Johannessen, and Alex Baudin. The quartet worked smoothly together to hold off the peloton.

In the closing sprint, Van der Poel proved the strongest, powering to his first stage victory of the 2026 Tour de France. After narrowly missing out on victories in Milan–San Remo and Paris–Roubaix earlier this season, the Dutch star returned to winning form with an impressive breakaway performance.

The general classification remained unchanged. Tadej Pogačar retained both the yellow and polka-dot jerseys, Mads Pedersen continued to wear green, and Isaac del Toro kept the white jersey.

The race will resume after the first rest day with Stage 10, a 167 km route from Aurillac to Le Lioran, where another breakaway battle is expected.

2026 Tour de France Stage 10: Pogačar's Solo Attack Extends Overall Lead

Stage 10 of the 2026 Tour de France covered 167 km from Aurillac to Le Lioran, featuring seven categorized climbs and another demanding test for the general classification contenders.

The stage began with repeated attacks as Team Visma | Lease a Bike attempted to place domestiques in the breakaway. However, UAE Team Emirates–XRG closely monitored every move, refusing to allow any Visma riders into the escape. After several failed attempts, a large breakaway finally formed, but UAE kept the gap under control throughout the day.

As the race entered the mountains, Richard Carapaz launched a powerful solo attack and briefly opened a lead of more than one minute. Behind him, UAE gradually increased the pace, reducing the peloton to a select group of overall contenders.

With 15 km remaining, Tadej Pogačar attacked on his own. His explosive acceleration immediately dropped all of his rivals, including Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel, and Juan Ayuso. Within minutes, Pogačar caught and passed Carapaz before continuing alone to the finish, securing another dominant stage victory and extending his advantage in the general classification.

The battle for the remaining podium places continued behind the race leader. Evenepoel recovered late to win the sprint for second place, with Paul Seixas finishing third, while Vingegaard crossed the line seventh after briefly attacking on the final climb.

After Stage 10, Pogačar retained both the yellow and polka-dot jerseys, Mads Pedersen remained in green, and Juan Ayuso took over the white jersey as the best young rider.

Stage 11 will cover 161 km from Vichy to Nevers, where the sprinters are expected to return to the spotlight.