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Pogacar Breaks Record, Wins Alpe d’Huez Amid Crowd Chaos

7/25/2026

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Summary

Pogacar Shatters Record

Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) won stage 19 of the 2026 Tour on Alpe d’Huez, finishing in 35:27.
The time broke Marco Pantani’s 1997 stage record of 37:35.
Pogacar’s attack 12 km from the summit erased a three-minute gap, caught Kuss, Martínez and Carapaz, and he soloed to the line.
The victory extended his yellow-jersey lead to over seven minutes as he pursues a record-equalling fifth Tour win.

Summary

Rubio Crash

Spectator overflow at Alpe d’Huez caused a crash when Movistar’s Einer Rubio collided with a UAE Team Emirates-XRG car, leading to his abandonment and prompting safety concerns.
During the ascent, Richard Carapaz was struck in the face by a fan, highlighting the hazards posed by the estimated 500,000-strong crowd.
American fans displayed dozens of U.S. flags on the climb, prompting rider Sepp Kuss to note the unusually large U.S. presence.

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Pogacar Shatters Record

Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) won stage 19 of the 2026 Tour on Alpe d’Huez, finishing in 35:27.
The time broke Marco Pantani’s 1997 stage record of 37:35.
Pogacar’s attack 12 km from the summit erased a three-minute gap, caught Kuss, Martínez and Carapaz, and he soloed to the line.
The victory extended his yellow-jersey lead to over seven minutes as he pursues a record-equalling fifth Tour win.

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