Tadej Pogačar made it two wins in two days at the Tour de Romandie after taking stage 2 for UAE Team Emirates-XRG in Vucherens.
The Slovenian, already in the race lead, won from a reduced 32-rider sprint after a testing finish that split the field late in the stage.
Pogačar picked up 10 bonus seconds with the victory, extending his lead in the yellow jersey after also winning stage 1.
The final climb to Vuillens shaped the race. UAE Team Emirates-XRG placed their leader near the front at the base of the 3.1km ascent, before several riders tried to attack from the reduced peloton.
Pogačar covered the moves himself, then pushed the pace over the top to stop more attacks forming before the descent towards Vucherens.
Dorian Godon, riding for Ineos Grenadiers, looked well placed for the sprint after winning the prologue earlier in the race. But Pogačar waited until late before moving past Godon’s right shoulder and taking the stage by more than a wheel.
Godon finished second, with Finn Fisher-Black, formerly of UAE Team Emirates and now riding for Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, in third.
“We knew the final lap, because we did it three times, and I knew the sprint was going to be tough because of the climbs before,” Pogačar said.
“It was indeed a super fast climb with a tailwind, but then for the sprint it was a super headwind, and quite downhill. So I knew you couldn’t be too much in front, but I was for the last corner, I was too much in front. Then suddenly some guys came, they were too early, and it was advantage for me.”
“To make the difference in time gaps, the final climb was not tough enough. But it made a difference in the legs, if you go over the limit then for sure it is harder to do a good sprint. Luckily for me it was still all under control and I could do a good sprint for me.”
Pogačar now leads the general classification by 17 seconds from Florian Lipowitz of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. Lenny Martinez of Bahrain Victorious sits third, 26 seconds back.
Tour de Romandie 2026 stage 2 results
- Tadej Pogačar, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, 4:08:11
- Dorian Godon, Ineos Grenadiers, same time
- Finn Fisher-Black, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, same time
General classification after stage 2
- Tadej Pogačar, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, 8:08:28
- Florian Lipowitz, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, +17 seconds
- Lenny Martinez, Bahrain Victorious, +26 seconds
