Five days after reclaiming the yellow jersey in the Pyrenees, Tadej Pogačar put more time into his Tour de France rivals with a solo victory at Le Lioran.
The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider attacked one kilometre from the summit of the Col de Pertus before riding alone to his third stage win of this year’s race.
He finished the 166.6-kilometre stage from Aurillac 32 seconds ahead of Remco Evenepoel. Paul Seixas took third, two seconds further back, while Jonas Vingegaard crossed the line seventh at 44 seconds.
“I didn’t know I was going to win until the final kilometre. Then I remembered it was Bastille Day and tried to honour the yellow jersey.”
The Bastille Day route included close to 3,800 metres of climbing and six classified ascents through the Massif Central.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG spent much of the day controlling the peloton. Tim Wellens, Nils Politt and Florian Vermeersch worked earlier in the stage before Felix Großschartner and Adam Yates took over on the later climbs.
Richard Carapaz attacked on the Puy Mary-Pas de Peyrol and built a lead of about 40 seconds. The Ecuadorian stayed clear until Pogačar made his move on the Col de Pertus.
Yates set the pace at the front of the main group before pulling away. Pogačar then accelerated, quickly opened a gap and caught Carapaz before the summit.
The Slovenian continued alone over the descent and the Col de Font de Cère, completing a solo ride of almost 15 kilometres.
“I didn’t know I was going to win until the final kilometre,” Pogačar said. “Then I remembered it was Bastille Day and tried to honour the yellow jersey.”
The win was Pogačar’s 24th Tour de France stage victory and his third of the 2026 race. He will wear the yellow jersey for the 60th day of his career when the Tour continues on Wednesday.
Pogačar now leads Vingegaard by three minutes and 36 seconds. Evenepoel sits third overall at 4:06 as Pogačar continues his attempt to win a fifth Tour title.
Isaac del Toro finished eighth for UAE Team Emirates-XRG and remains seventh overall, 5:08 behind his teammate.
Stage 10 results
- Tadej Pogačar, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, 3:58:08
- Remco Evenepoel, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, +32 seconds
- Paul Seixas, Decathlon CMA CGM, +34 seconds
- Isaac del Toro, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, +1:31
General classification after stage 10
- Tadej Pogačar, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, 36:15:02
- Jonas Vingegaard, Visma-Lease a Bike, +3:36
- Remco Evenepoel, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, +4:06
- Isaac del Toro, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, +5:08
