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Pogacar Wins Fifth Tour; Mexican Del Toro Makes History

7/27/2026

Summary

Pogacar Wins Tour

Tadej Pogacar won his fifth Tour de France on July 26, 2026 in Paris.
He finished 6 minutes 26 seconds ahead of Remco Evenepoel and 9 minutes 42 seconds ahead of teammate Isaac del Toro.
Isaac del Toro placed third overall, won the white jersey and became the first Mexican on the Tour podium.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG earned €832,750, over 36 percent of the €2.3 million prize pool, far more than Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe’s €288,160.

Summary

Vingegaard Crashes

Stage 21 was shortened to 89 km from 133 km because crews fought wildfires near Bordeaux.
Police were reassigned from crowd control to wildfire duties, altering the finale’s logistics.
The 2026 Tour recorded its first edition without a stage win by France, Italy or Spain.
Night-time anti-doping tests, labeled “exceptional” by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), were conducted before stage 15.
Jonas Vingegaard crashed on stage 15, broke his collarbone and withdrew.

History

Historical Context

After the 1998 Festina affair exposed systematic EPO use—44 of 60 stored samples later tested positive—the UCI introduced mandatory hematocrit checks in 1997 and expanded blood testing for the 1999 Tour, paving the way for the World Anti-Doping Agency’s creation in 1999. Building on those reforms, the UCI launched exceptional night-time tests before stage 15 of the 2026 Tour.

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Pogacar Wins Tour

Tadej Pogacar won his fifth Tour de France on July 26, 2026 in Paris.
He finished 6 minutes 26 seconds ahead of Remco Evenepoel and 9 minutes 42 seconds ahead of teammate Isaac del Toro.
Isaac del Toro placed third overall, won the white jersey and became the first Mexican on the Tour podium.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG earned €832,750, over 36 percent of the €2.3 million prize pool, far more than Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe’s €288,160.

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