On July 21, 2026, the 113th Tour de France resumed racing following the second rest day with Stage 16, the race’s sole Individual Time Trial (ITT). Starting in Évian-les-Bains, a renowned lakeside town in France, and finishing in Thonon-les-Bains, the course spans 26.1 kilometres with roughly 500 metres of total elevation gain. Though short in distance, the route features fast flat sections, sustained climbs, rapid descents and multiple technical corners, demanding exceptional explosive power, pacing ability and bike handling from riders. It also serves as a critical stage that reshuffles the overall general classification standings.
Heading into the stage, pundits widely regarded this ITT as Remco Evenepoel’s best chance to make up time in the overall standings. Meanwhile, Tadej Pogačar, wearer of the yellow jersey, needed to minimise any time losses to solidify his lead in the general classification.
Once racing got underway, Evenepoel delivered a dominant performance. He held the fastest split at every intermediate time check, maintaining unmatched rhythm on both the climbs and high-speed descents. The Belgian Olympic and World Time Trial Champion crossed the finish line in 32 minutes and 19 seconds, averaging over 48 kilometres per hour to claim the stage win. This marked his second stage victory of the 2026 Tour de France and his second consecutive day atop the podium, cementing his status as one of the world’s leading time trial specialists.
Nevertheless, the biggest winner for the overall title battle remained yellow jersey holder Pogačar. Though the discipline is not his strongest suit, the Slovenian demonstrated champion-level consistency. He limited his time deficit at nearly every split and finished second on the stage, just 28 seconds behind Evenepoel, successfully retaining his commanding overall lead.
Denmark’s Mattias Skjelmose also put in a stellar ride, taking third place with a deficit of 1 minute and 4 seconds, securing another strong result for Lidl-Trek. Young French talent Paul Seixas turned in an impressive performance, finishing fourth in front of his home crowd and further strengthening his position in the young rider classification.
Stage 16 Podium
1.Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe) – 32'19"
2.Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates XRG) – +28"
3.Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) – +1'04"
Beyond the battle for stage honours, the race saw a regrettable crash incident. Florian Lipowitz, the young German rider who had ranked high in the general classification, suffered a heavy fall shortly before the finish line and was forced to abandon the race. The promising youngster’s maiden bid for a high overall ranking came to an abrupt end, leaving Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe without one of their key general classification contenders.
UAE Team Emirates XRG also encountered a minor pre-stage setback. Team domestique Brandon McNulty was involved in a collision with a car while travelling to the race start. Fortunately, he sustained only minor injuries and cleared medical checks to complete the stage without disrupting the team’s overall race strategy.
Following Stage 16, Pogačar retains complete control of the general classification. While Evenepoel clawed back 28 seconds on this stage, the gap between the two rivals still stands at 4 minutes and 32 seconds, leaving the yellow jersey advantage firmly intact. Mexican rising star Isaac del Toro stays third overall, and Paul Seixas has closed further ground on the podium spots, setting up a dramatic final week of racing for the general classification.
With the sole individual time trial now complete, the fight for the overall title enters its decisive mountain phase. For Pogačar, he has navigated the time trial stage – his relative weakness – with flying colours. Consistent performances in the upcoming Alpine mountain stages will put him within touching distance of a fifth Tour de France overall title. Evenepoel, fresh from back-to-back stage wins and in blistering form, will need to launch aggressive attacks on the high mountain stages if he hopes to narrow the deficit further.
Stage 17 of the Tour de France will roll out on July 22, running from Chambéry to Voiron over a 174.7-kilometre flat stage. While the terrain is generally gentle, several rolling sections feature in the latter half of the route, opening opportunities both for sprinters chasing stage glory and breakaway groups aiming for success. As the general classification battle intensifies, all teams with riders targeting the overall standings will remain fully vigilant to prepare for the upcoming mountain stages that will decide the final winner.
