Tour De France 2025: Evenepoel Wins Time Trial As Pogacar Powers Into Yellow

Tadej Pogacar struck nan first rustle successful his rivalry pinch Jonas Vingegaard by taking nan wide Tour de France lead aft finishing 2nd to Remco Evenepoel successful nan shape 5 clip proceedings successful Caen.

Pogacar’s capacity exceeded expectations and will person deed difficult connected Vingegaard’s Visma‑Lease a Bike squad bus, pinch nan double Tour victor now much than a infinitesimal down his Slovenian rival aft only 5 days of racing.

“I was surprised,” Pogacar said of nan spread he opened up connected nan Dane. “I’m not going to lie. I was not expecting to beryllium truthful acold up of him successful this clip trial. I expected him to beryllium person to Remco, but possibly he didn’t person a awesome day.”

While nan Olympic and world clip proceedings champion Evenepoel, riding astatine an mean velocity of 54km/h, claimed an expected shape success, Pogacar was nan existent winner, arsenic Vingegaard’s situation wilted successful nan power of nan Calvados afternoon.

With Vingegaard now nether unit to combat his rival, location whitethorn beryllium further hostility successful nan camp, pinch his American teammate Matteo Jorgenson, victor of nan Paris-Nice title successful March, conscionable 9 seconds down him.

“I don’t person an explanation,” Visma’s caput of racing, Grischa Niermann, said of his squad leader’s result. “Of course, we hoped for more. I conjecture Jonas didn’t person capable powerfulness today.”

Pogacar, however, was not getting carried away. “I ever person eyes connected everybody, not conscionable 1 guy,” he said. “You cannot discount each nan riders up to apical 10 successful wide classification.

Remco Evenepoel powers his measurement towards a clip proceedings victory. Photograph: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images

“Jonas is nan astir quiet to get backmost time, he’s successful ace bully shape, his team’s successful bully form, truthful they will try, possibly tomorrow aliases nan adjacent day.”

Yet location is nary uncertainty nan pendulum has now swung successful Pogacar’s favour. Evenepoel, victor of nan 2024 Tour clip proceedings shape to Gevrey‑Chambertin, had predicted he would dress up almost a infinitesimal connected Pogacar and, quickly into his compact position, group disconnected astatine breakneck pace. Despite winning nan stage, nan Belgian did not execute nan clip gains for which he had hoped.

The Slovenian, blindsided by a flying Evenepoel successful nan Critérium du Dauphiné clip proceedings a period ago, was this clip a different prospect. His capacity astir Caen was overmuch much competitory than expected and kept nan Belgian successful check, while transforming a slim overnight advantage complete Vingegaard of 8sec into a important 1min 13sec.

But connected a shape thankfully free of immoderate of nan pile-ups that person marked immoderate of nan earlier stages, nan information statement still shadowed nan peloton, aft nan Canadian rider Mike Woods, 122nd wide successful nan Tour, said that title organisers ASO “love crashes”.

Writing connected his blog, nan 38 twelvemonth aged Woods, a shape victor successful nan 2023 Tour, said: “Despite their claimed attempts to make nan athletics safer, 1 gets a consciousness – erstwhile watching immoderate item reel they create – that blood, surgery bikes, and immoderate mediocre bastard stepping into an ambulance are what they emotion to sell.”

All eyes connected Tadej Pogacar connected shape five. Photograph: Loïc Venance/AFP/Getty Images

Another casualty of earlier crashes, Emilien Jeannniere of France, who was catapulted into nan crowd barriers successful nan shape to Dunkirk connected Monday, discontinue nan title aft it was discovered that he had surgery his shoulder, moreover though he successfully vanished shape 4 into Rouen.

“It’s sad to wantonness my first Tour, but location are different races and I person to put my wellness first,” nan 26 twelvemonth aged rider said.

Others are faring better, pinch nan rising British talents Oscar Onley and nan Tour debutant Joe Blackmore quickly uncovering their feet successful this year’s race. In contrast, prospects looked gloomier for Ineos Grenadiers pinch Carlos Rodriguez now languishing successful 16th place, 4 minutes down Pogacar, aft nan first clip trial.

The sixth shape connected Thursday, from Bayeux to Vire, includes six categorised climbs and whitethorn spot much sparring astatine nan uphill finish, connected nan 14% slopes of nan Avenue d’Atlacomulco.