Here's Who's Winning the 2023 Tour de France
Tadej Pogačar overcame yesterday's difficulty to win today's stage, while Jonas Vingegaard took the overall race lead from Jai Hindley.
Editor's Note: This story will be updated Monday through Friday, with additional weekend coverage coming on Monday.
Today’s mountainous sixth stage from Tarbes to Cauterets-Cambasque marked the first of what is expected to be several road duels between UAE team leader Tadej Pogačar (winner of both the 2020 and 2021 Tours) and Jumbo-Visma rider Jonas Vingegaard (winner of the 2022 Tour). Although Vingegaard was able to take the overall race lead from Jai Hindley, Pogačar was the winner of today’s stage.
It was a tremendous reversal of fortune for the rider after Wednesday, when he appeared all but down for the count. Pogačar lost 64 seconds to Vingegaard during yesterday’s fifth stage. Last year, he was the overall runner-up to Vingegaard.
Stage Six Top 10 Finishers:
- Tadej Pogacar (SLO, UAE Team Emirates) 3hr 54'27"
- Jonas Vingegaard (DEN, Jumbo-Visma) +24"
- Tobias Halland Johannessen (NOR, Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) +1:22"
- Ruben Guerreiro (POR, Movistar Team) +2:06"
- James Shaw (GBR, EF Education-EasyPost) +2:15"
- Jai Hindley (AUS, Bora-Hansgrohe) +2:39"
- Carlos Rodríguez (SPA, INEOS Grenadiers) +2:39"
- Simon Yates (GBR, Team Jayco AlUla) +2:39"
- Adam Yates (GBR, UAE Team Emirates) +3:11"
- Romain Bardet (FRA, Team dsm - firmenich) +3:12"
As Pogačar and Vingegaaard moved into the dramatic mountain climb along with the latter’s teammate Sepp Kuss, yesterday’s yellow jersey winner Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe) fell notably behind. It was a theme of the day, as what had been minor gaps between riders became more significant during stage six.
Around three miles until the finish of the Cauterets-Cambasque climb, Vingegaard made the first attack. With just a mile and a half to go, Pogačar made an attack on Vingegaard, which the Dane was unable to respond to or ultimately recover from. Pogačar prevailed over Vingegaard by 24 seconds to win stage six. Vingegaard, for his part, took the overall race lead, relieving Hindley of the yellow jersey.
“I would not say revenge, but it is sweet to win today and take some time back,” Pogačar said after his stage six triumph. “I feel a little bit relieved and I feel much better now. The display Jonas showed yesterday was incredible. When [the Jumbo Visma team] started pulling in the Tourmalet, I thought, shit, this is going to happen like yesterday then we can pack our bags and go home. But luckily I had good legs today and could follow on the Tourmalet quite comfortably and when I felt it was the right moment I attacked.”
Stage seven kicks off on Friday with what will be this year’s flattest stage. Riders will make their way from Mont-de-Marsan to Bordeaux. Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan), who won the stage the last time a finish occurred in Bordeaux in 2010, is hoping to tie Eddy Merckx's astonishing record of 34 career stage wins. Cavendish needs just one more to pull even with the legendary Belgian rider.
Related: Complete Guide to Understanding the 2023 Tour de France
2023 Tour de France General Classification Standings:
- Jonas Vingegaard (DEN, Jumbo-Visma) 26hr 10'44"
- Tadej Pogacar (SLO, UAE Team Emirates) +0:25
- Jai Hindley (AUS, Bora-Hansgrohe) +1:34
- Simon Yates (GBR, Team Jayco AlUla) +3:14
- Carlos Rodriguez Cano (ESP, Ineos Grenadiers) +3:30
- Adam Yates (GBR, UAE Team Emirates) +3:40
- David Gaudu (FRA, Groupama - FDJ) +4:03
- Romain Bardet (FRA, Team dsm - firmenich) +4:43
- Thomas Pidcock (GBR, INEOS Grenadiers) +4:43
- Sepp Kuss (USA, Jumbo-Visma) +5:28
2023 Tour de France Stage Winners:
- Stage 1: Adam Yates (GBR, UAE/Emirates)
- Stage 2: Victor Lafay (FRA, Cofidis)
- Stage 3: Jasper Philipsen (BEL, Alpecin-Deceuninck)
- Stage 4: Jasper Philipsen (BEL, Alpecin-Deceuninck)
- Stage 5: Jai Hindley (AUS, Bora Hansgrohe)
- Stage 6: Tadej Pogačar (SLO, UAE/Emirates)