sport
Pogacar Wins Bastille Day Stage, Extends Tour de France Lead
Slovenian rider attacks late on the mountains to Le Lioran and pulls clear of rivals on the national holiday.
How we reported this
Tadej Pogacar claimed victory on stage 10 of the Tour de France on Bastille Day, crossing the line alone after attacking with 15 kilometres left on the 166.6 km mountain route from Aurillac to Le Lioran. The Slovenian finished 32 seconds ahead of Remco Evenepoel, with 19-year-old Paul Seixas taking third just two seconds further back. Jonas Vingegaard finished seventh, 44 seconds down, widening Pogacar's overall advantage to three minutes and 36 seconds.
The result marked Pogacar's third stage win of this year's race and his 24th in total, moving him fifth on the all-time list. He had targeted the Bastille Day finish in advance, and the move came after Richard Carapaz had led on the Puy Mary climb. Pogacar then went clear on the penultimate ascent and held the gap to the line despite reporting that his legs felt empty at the end.
Radio trouble adds tension on the final climb
Pogacar said his team had tested new radios and contact was lost with 10 km remaining, leaving him uncertain of the gaps behind. Some spectators booed at the finish, yet he described the atmosphere as strong and said the noise only added motivation. He noted that two years earlier Vingegaard had beaten him in a sprint at the same venue, and he had pushed hard to avoid a repeat.
Tom Pidcock crashed on the descent from Puy Mary but recovered to finish ninth on the stage and move into 10th place overall. Vingegaard said his legs were improving and that he looked forward to longer climbs ahead, while noting the day could have gone worse for his team.
Standings after stage 10
After the stage the general classification showed Pogacar leading Vingegaard by three minutes 36 seconds, Evenepoel three minutes further back in third, and Seixas fifth at four minutes 35 seconds. The next mountain stages will test whether the defending champion can reduce that margin before the race reaches its later phases.
Pogacar said he and his team remain focused on the present rather than any longer-term plans, adding that moments like the Bastille Day win should be appreciated while they last. The race continues with further climbing opportunities that could shape the final standings.