23 : IN A NEW CASTE
Winner at Gavarnie-Gèdre this Thursday, Tadej Pogacar claimed his 23rd stage win in the Tour. The Slovenian is now the fifth most prolific rider in the history of the Grande Boucle, moving ahead of Frenchman André Darrigade (22) and closing to within two wins of André Leducq (25). This success marks his 32nd Grand Tour stage victory (6 in the Giro and 3 in La Vuelta), one more than the Campionissimo Fausto Coppi.
1 : UNWAVERING CONSISTENCY
His eleventh victory in the Pyrenees also makes him the first rider to win at least two stages in each of his first seven Tours de France. After winning three times across 2020, 2021, and 2022, Tadej PogaCar claimed two victories in 2023, before dominating the 2024 and 2025 Tours with six and four wins respectively. He has thus already secured two victories this year.
43 : EVER FURTHER
Never, before today, Tadej Pogacar had launched such a victorious solo raid in the Tour. By breaking away 43 kilometers from the finish, during the ascent of the Col du Tourmalet, the four-time Tour de France winner more than doubled his previous record. During stage 4 of the 2024 edition, the Slovenian had surged ahead in the final stretch of the Col du Galibier climb, going on to win 19.3 kilometers later at the ski resort of Valloire.
2’38’’ : THE GAP IS WIDENING
By finishing 2 minutes and 38 seconds ahead of Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogacar inflicted the largest gap ever recorded between the two rivals when they have finished in the top two spots of a stage. The 2-minute-10-second margin at the summit of Hautacam last year has thus been surpassed. During the period when Vingegaard held the upper hand over the Slovenian, the Visma - Lease a Bike leader’s greatest winning margin was 1 minute and 38 seconds, achieved in his impressive Combloux time trial in 2023.
1 : A RAINBOW ON THE TOURMALET
A unique moment in the history of the Tourmalet. Riding alone at the altitude of 2,110 meters towards Gavarnie-Gèdre, Tadej Pogacar became the first reigning world champion to crest this legendary Pyrenean pass in the lead during the Tour, a first feat achieved in 89 crossings ! He is also the fourth past Tour winner to reach the summit first, following Jean Robic (1948, 1953), Federico Bahamontes (1962, 1963) and Lucien Van Impe (1977). Other Tour winners, such as Ottavio Bottecchia, Fausto Coppi, Eddy Merckx, and Andy Schleck also conquered this summit before going on to win the general classification.
56 : YELLOW, AGAIN AND AGAIN
Like a second skin. Thanks to his impressive performance this Thursday, Tadej Pogacar has reclaimed the Yellow Jersey for the 56th time in his career. The Slovenian is now just three shy of Chris Froome, who ranks fourth on the all-time list of riders to have worn the jersey. Pogacar has also brought his total number of Grand Tour leader's jerseys to 76 (including 20 at the Giro), again putting him within three shy of Alberto Contador. The two-time world champion also seized his 28th polka-dot jersey. Only two renowned climbers are ahead of him, and by a large margin : Richard Virenque (96 times) and Lucien Van Impe (70).
14 : THE TOURMALET, A KINGMAKER
The Tourmalet, the climb most frequently featured in the Tour, may well have played a decisive role in the battle for overall victory for the 14th time in its history. Tadej Pogacar, who took the Yellow Jersey after surging ahead on the pass, could uphold this trend and confirm the Tourmalet’s pivotal nature if he manages to keep the leader's jersey all the way to Paris. The last time the climb proved decisive for the Tour’s final standings was just three years ago, when Jonas Vingegaard, who finished second this Thursday, donned the Yellow Jersey at Cauterets-Cambasque, some kilometers beyond the Pyrenean giant. The Dane went on to hold off Pogacar for the next fifteen stages to secure his second Tour de France title.
3 : RECORD EQUALLED… AND IMPROVED !
Finishing fifth amidst the majestic scenery of Gavarnie-Gèdre, Paul Seixas has now secured three top-10 finishes in this Tour de France, equaling the record for a rider under the age of 20. The Frenchman, riding for Decathlon CMA CGM, draws level with the Dutchman Danny van Poppel, who had held the mark since 2013. However, Seixas actually surpasses the record, as he is the first rider under 20 to achieve two top-5 stage finishes (4th at Les Angles, 5th at Gavarnie-Gèdre). A feat Van Poppel managed only once (3rd in Bastia).
33 : ASPIN SUITS THE FRENCH
A key figure in the stage, Lenny Martinez was the first to reach the summit of the famous Col d’Aspin for the second consecutive year. This feat extends France’s lead in the rankings for the most times a rider from a given country has been first to the top of this Pyrenean pass, which sits at an altitude of 1,489 meters. France’s total now stands at 33 first-place crossings, achieved by 26 different riders since Octave Lapize in 1910. Trailing far behind are Belgium (12 crossings) and Italy (11).
