The excitement surrounding the Tour de France 2025 continues as Tadej Pogačar achieves a remarkable milestone by winning the individual time trial on Stage 13. This victory marks him as the youngest rider ever to secure 21 stage wins in the history of the Tour. Pogačar completed the challenging 10.9km course in an impressive time of 23 minutes and 36 seconds, surpassing his closest competitor and general classification (GC) rival, Jonas Vingegaard from Visma-Lease a Bike.
Despite losing ground to Pogačar, Vingegaard expressed satisfaction with his performance during the time trial. "Yesterday was one of my worst performances and today was one of my best," he stated. Vingegaard acknowledged that the previous day had been particularly challenging but felt a renewed sense of confidence heading into the time trial. His comments reflect a resilient attitude as he aims to regain lost time in the ongoing race.
On the other hand, Remco Evenepoel from Soudal-Quick-Step was left disappointed after his time trial performance. Overtaken by Vingegaard just before the finish line, Evenepoel said, "It was bad. With a normal feeling, I should be in the top three on a day like this." His struggle during the time trial highlights the unpredictable nature of competitive cycling, where even top riders can have off days.
Looking ahead to Stage 14, anticipation builds as riders prepare to tackle the iconic Tourmalet. Cycling enthusiasts are eager to see how the competitors will handle the challenges of this legendary climb. Enthusiasts like Matt have already made their presence felt along the route, capturing the spirit of the Tour.
As the dust settles after Stage 13, here are the top five riders in key classifications:
King of the Mountains (KOM) Classification: Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates XRG) - 37 points Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious) - 27 points Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) - 27 points Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech) - 22 points Ben Healy (EF Education-Easypost) - 16 pointsPoints Classification: Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) - 231 points Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates XRG) - 203 points Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) - 173 points Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) - 154 points Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) - 150 pointsGeneral Classification (GC): Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates XRG) - 45 hours, 45 minutes +51 seconds Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) - +4 minutes 7 seconds Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) - +7 minutes 24 seconds Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) - +7 minutes 30 seconds Oscar Onley (Picnic-PostNL) - +8 minutes 11 secondsAfter his stunning win, Pogačar expressed his joy and revealed insights into his strategy for the mountain time trial. He emphasized the importance of teamwork and preparation, stating, "I wanted everything to be perfect and the team delivered in the final moment." Pogačar opted to ride on the same bike he had used throughout the Tour, prioritizing comfort and familiarity over the traditional time trial bike.
In a thrilling finish, the top five riders for Stage 13 were:
Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) - +36 seconds Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) - +1 minute 20 seconds Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) - +1 minute 56 seconds Luke Plapp (Jayco Alula) - +1 minute 58 secondsAs the excitement of the Tour de France 2025 unfolds, fans eagerly await the challenges that lie ahead, especially as the riders face the formidable Tourmalet. Stay tuned for more updates and insights as we continue our coverage of this iconic cycling event.
