Tour de France: Pogacar hits hard, takes stage 3 and grabs yellow
It only took three stages for Tadej Pogacar to seize control again. Beaten the day before in the team time trial battle, the Slovenian didnt hang around to put things right. On Monday, on the roads of the Pyrenees-Orientales, the UAE Emirates-XRG leader produced a masterclass in control to win at Les Angles. It was a clear, commanding victory, and it puts him back in yellow at Jonas Vingegaards expense.
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Pogacar takes back control without breaking stride
There are days when it all feels written before the flag has even dropped. From the opening kilometres, UAE Emirates-XRG set the tone. No games, no hesitation. The plan was obvious: control the race, suffocate the break, and give their leader a chance to finish the job. After watching his lieutenant Isaac Del Toro celebrate the day before, Pogacar clearly decided it was time to step back into the spotlight.
The Tour of France returning to French roads after a start in Spain should have opened the door to something more unpredictable. Despite the wildfires affecting the Pyrenees-Orientales, the crowds turned out in force. The noise carried the bunch all the way to Les Angles, where the expected showdown among the favourites duly arrived.
And when the road kicked up for the last time, nobody could answer the Slovenian champion. Perfectly positioned, Pogacar waited until the final 200 metres before unleashing a brutal acceleration. In a handful of pedal strokes, it was done. Jonas Vingegaard had to settle for second, with Richard Carapaz third, helpless against the force of the four-time Grand Tour winner.
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A brave break, but it was always on borrowed time
For much of the day, it looked as though the attackers might get their chance. It took almost two hours of fighting before a proper break finally went clear. Around 20 riders eventually got the nod, taking advantage of a brief easing in the bunch.
As the kilometres ticked by, though, the group kept shrinking. Alex Baudin, Nicolas Prodhomme, Vlad Van Mechelen, George Bennett, Raul Garcia Pierna and Matteo Vercher were the last men standing from a move that looked more doomed with every passing minute.
On the Col du Calvaire, Baudin and Prodhomme tried one last dig. Their move briefly sparked hope for anyone still craving a solo heroics story. But once UAE Emirates-XRG turned the screws, the illusion vanished fast. Baudin, the final survivor up front, was swallowed up around 10 kilometres from the finish. He still walks away with the polka dot jersey, a fine reward for a ride full of guts.
Tadej Pogacar entre en scene ! Le Slovenien remporte la 3e etape du Tour de France devant Jonas Vingegaard et s’empare du maillot jaune #LesRP #TDF2026 pic.twitter.com/TC74b3oqDo
— Eurosport France (@Eurosport_FR) July 6, 2026
The first shot fired at Vingegaard
Beyond the stage win, this one means far more for Pogacar. Thanks to the 10 bonus seconds, the Slovenian takes over at the top of the general classification and lands the first psychological blow on his great rival. Vingegaard stays within touching distance, level on time, but the first major battle of this Tour has clearly gone Pogacar’s way.
Remco Evenepoel sits provisionally third overall, while French hope Paul Seixas continues to impress. Fourth on the stage, the youngster has made a superb start to the race and keeps hold of a very encouraging sixth place in the overall standings.
The day also featured a nasty crash for Bruno Armirail in the finale. The Jonas Vingegaard team-mate stayed down for several moments before getting back on his bike, seemingly troubled by a knee injury. Not exactly the sight Visma-Lease a Bike wanted.
Stage three, first big statement. With his 22nd Tour de France win, Tadej Pogacar is reminding everyone why he is the man to beat. He gave his rivals no opening and, crucially, sent a blunt message to the rest of the peloton: if you want yellow this year, you still have to go through him first.
Photo credit: Loic VENANCE / AFP
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