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Soudal-Quick Step is enjoying its most-successful Tour de France in a few years, with three stage wins for Tim Merlier and Valentin Paret-Peintre making a concerted (if likely doomed) run for polka dots. For Ilan Van Wilder, currently 13th overall, there's one big reason: The departure of Remco Evenepoel.
Speaking to Het Laatste Nieuws, the Belgian climber said, "A lot of the stress is gone. Everything is a little freer and more relaxed. We no longer carry that heavy responsibility every day, where nothing is allowed to go wrong." Van Wilder emphasized his comments were not meant as criticism of his former teammate, but rather a reflection of the intense pressure Evenepoel is under that permeates everything around his team.
And, added Van Wilder, he's happy not to have to deal with it anymore. "Honestly, I would not like to be in Remco’s team," he said. "And I do not mean that negatively." The weight of expectation that has now transferred with Evenepoel to his new Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team was like "constantly racing under a magnifying glass; I was getting a little tired of it," said Van Wilder.
GC Pidcock's up and down Tour continues
Tom Pidcock's leap to fourth overall on Friday's stage didn't overly worry other GC contenders at the Tour de France, with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and Lidl-Trek both predicting the Briton would pay for his breakaway effort. Early on Saturday's 14th stage, Pidcock appeared to be gamely going for it in the early break.
But under the inexorable onslaught of race leader Tadej Pogačar's UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad, all contenders were caught and Pidcock ultimately ceded 3:34 at the finish, dropping back to ninth. It's all part of the up-and-down Tour for the Pinarello-Q36.5 captain, who has said he's not necessarily focused on GC but rather is racing for a different objective. “I want to enjoy being back at the Tour, and look forward to coming back here every year,” he said earlier in the race.
That seems to mean going for it regardless of the consequences, and despite the surge in the standings, even Pidcock himself acknowledges a top finish is unlikely. "I'm going to lose a lot in the [stage 16] time trial," the always plain-spoken Pidcock said before the start Saturday. Expect to see him in the break again, however, as he might target a repeat of his breakthrough Alpe d'Huez stage win from 2022.
Tour stage-winner Wærenskjold commits his future to Uno-X
Søren Wærenskjold – a.k.a. 'The Hippo from Mandal' – has committed his future to Uno-X Mobility, staying loyal to the team with which he launched his pro career until at least the end of 2029. The team confirmed the news a couple of days after the 26-year-old Norwegian scored the biggest win of his career on stage 11 of the Tour de France.
"We have now achieved a major goal by winning a stage at the Tour de France, but I want us to win more stages for the team," Wærenskjold said in the team's Saturday-morning announcement. "It is the perfect team for me. I get opportunities here, the atmosphere is great, and even though it’s a slightly smaller team, everything is very professional. I have everything I need to perform. I believe in the team, and they believe in me, so I have no reason to look elsewhere. That’s also why I was happy to sign a long-term contract."
Wærenskjold is not only one of the team's most successful performers, but he's also made waves for raising his voice, including the revelation that he turned down a potentially-lucrative contract from UAE Team Emirates, and later opted not to return to the Saudi Tour on the basis of the host nation's human rights record. On the bike, Wærenskjold has secured 19 wins so far, including the landmark victory for himself and his team at Omloop Nieuwsblad in 2025.
Prudhomme rules out moving Tour from July - for now
While the oppressive heat that hit the first 11 days of the Tour de France is now abating, the conversation around it is not. In the first week of the race, riders were vocal about the conditions, and after the heat-shortened ninth stage, race leader Tadej Pogačar went so far as to say perhaps the WorldTour calendar should be revamped. “If I had the power I would change all the calendar and not race in July and August in hot places,” Pogačar said.
Director Christian Prudhomme responded on France 2's Velo Club program after stage 12 and, surprisingly, did not entirely rule out the idea. Prudhomme initially said he was "categorical" about not changing the Tour's place in the calendar, but added that climate change might eventually force Tour organizer ASO's hand. "Perhaps one day [the Tour will move], but it is not on the agenda," he said.
Prudhomme also addressed calls for earlier starts, saying the logistics were complicated. Morning starts would mean teams need to stay overnight close to the race start, which isn't always possible in less-populated areas like the recent trip across the Massif Central. That would push the Tour to rely more on large cities, and as Prudhomme said, "The Tour is made up of large cities, medium-sized towns and smaller villages. That is the very essence of the Tour." Television is also a factor, with early-evening finishes important to ratings.
Pogačar-Vuelta speculation hits a peak
Ever since Vuelta a España organizers unveiled a 2026 route that dropped the Grand Depart in Monaco, there's been speculation that Tadej Pogačar might target the Spanish Grand Tour once his Tour de France defense wraps up.
Pogačar, now comfortably in yellow heading toward the race's second rest day, hasn't directly confirmed or denied the rumors, but offered a big hint on Friday after stage 13. That morning, Monaco's Prince Albert told assembled media at the start in Dole that he hoped Pogačar would race the Vuelta. Asked about the monarch's comments post-stage, Pogačar told Eurosport, "Well, if the prince said, then it’s a high chance."
The Vuelta remains the last Grand Tour Pogačar has not won. He took three stages and finished third overall in his first and so far only attempt, in 2019. (That third place remains his lowest-ever finish in a Grand Tour, by the way.) Adding the Vuelta would make Pogačar just the ninth men's rider ever to win all three Grand Tours in a career. Jonas Vingegaard became the eighth earlier this season when he won the Giro d'Italia.
Rohan Dennis pleads guilty to driving without a license
Former time trial world champion Rohan Dennis has pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified after being caught behind the wheel near his home in Adelaide in June.
The 36-year-old's license was suspended for five years in May 2025 following the death of his wife Melissa Hoskins in late 2023.
While the court found last year that Dennis wasn't criminally responsible for Hoskins' death, the judge ruled that Dennis had been reckless during the incident in which Hoskins jumped onto the bonnet of the car as Dennis went to drive away. Dennis was handed a suspended prison sentence of 17 months, a two-year good behaviour bond, and the driving ban that he has since admitted to breaking.
In handing down that sentence in May 2025, judge Ian Press warned Dennis about the gravity of breaching his good behaviour bond.
"If you are caught driving while disqualified ... you will be in breach of the bond," Judge Press said. "It will be a serious criminal offence and you can expect that you would then have to serve the [prison] sentence that I just imposed."
Dennis will return to court in September.
Gaviria and Berckmoes out with broken collarbones after Tour sprint crash
The 2026 Tour de France is over for Fernando Gaviria. The Colombian sprinter on Caja Rural-Seguros RGA crashed heavily in the final meters of stage 12 when he overlapped wheels with Bahrain Victorious' Vlad Van Mechelen and post-stage medical checks revealed a broken collarbone.
Numerous riders went down in the crash, including Lotto-Intermarché's Jenno Berckmoes, who also suffered a broken clavicle. Netcompany-Ineos' Dorian Godon and the Uno-X Mobility duo of Jonas Abrahamsen and stage 11 winner Søren Wærenskjold were also brought up in the crash. There has been no word yet on their conditions. Van Mechelen was relegated after the stage for having moved right during the sprint and cutting off Gaviria.
Tour official defends use of road whitewash criticized by Pidcock
Tom Pidcock was one of several riders to criticize the use of a lime whitewash on the Tour de France route after he crashed in a lefthand switchback on a descent in Tuesday's stage.
But a Tour official on Thursday rejected that criticism on several counts, saying that the practice was essential to keeping road surfaces from dangerously softening in the heat, and that the low number of crashes simply suggested rider error.
The coating – lime mixed with water – is applied to reflect sunlight, ASO road coordinator Andre Bancala told RTBF Sport. "The aim is to keep the temperature below 50° Celsius, which is a critical temperature for some surfaces,” he said. When asphalt softens in the heat it can cause major traction issues; Tour fans of a certain age will recall a horrific crash in the 2003 Tour de France when Joseba Beloki, then in second overall, lost control in a switchback on a hot day in the Pyrenees and broke his femur.
But Pidcock and others weren't fans, with the Olympic mountain bike champion criticizing what he called "white shit" organizers had laid down because it made the surface slippery. Bancala was having none of it, saying riders should not assume the course is a pristine F1 track. “When only one or two riders crash, it may simply be that their line was not ideal," he said, although Pidcock at least is one of the best descenders in the sport. "We did not see a general wave of crashes.”
Pedersen plans to retire after home World Championships in 2029
Mads Pedersen is currently locked in a fierce fight with NSN's Biniam Girmay for the green jersey at the Tour de France, but the Lidl-Trek sprinter and Classics specialist is still looking ahead. The Danish rider revealed he intends to retire in three years after a home World Road Championships in Copenhagen. He would be 33 years old and has been a WorldTour pro for 11 seasons so far.
“For me, it would be a special place to finish my career,” Pedersen told Denmark's TV2 AftenTour program, adding that he wants to walk away while he's still at the top of the sport. “Everything comes to an end,” he said, noting that family priorities were behind his decision. “For me, that moment will come when I can no longer fight for victory. Then I do not belong here anymore."
Pedersen has a lifetime contract with Lidl-Trek and said he is not planning his retirement yet. The 2019 World Champion has won multiple stages at all three Grand Tours but has plenty of competitive objectives, starting with the green jersey, "and that damn Monument I am missing.”
Jorgenson battling illness, injury to stay in Tour
Matteo Jorgenson crashed on a slick switchback on stage 10 but that's not the only challenge facing the American as he tries to support Visma-Lease a Bike leader Jonas Vingegaard in the 2026 Tour de France.
Jorgenson has also fallen ill, which means he wears a face mask off the bike, eats separate from the team and even rides in a different vehicle when going from the team hotel to start or finish to hotel.
On Wednesday's flat, fast stage he finished 164th out of 174 riders still in the race, just over two minutes down (which, given stage 11 was the fastest in Tour history, is actually pretty impressive). The team is monitoring him and there's a question about whether he'll continue, but the heat wave that has tormented the Tour is set to break, even as the race nears the Vosges and another challenge: climbs.
'I completely shat my pants': Crash scare for Pogačar on Tour stage 11
One thing Tadej Pogačar is known for in Grand Tours is consistency. He's never DNF'd a three-week race (his worst finish is third overall) and rarely, if ever, has illness or a crash. That almost changed Wednesday on stage 11 of the Tour when an errant water bottle nearly brought him down.
"I had one moment when I caught a bottle with my front wheel and I almost crashed," he said after the stage. "I completely shat my pants there and I already saw myself on the ground, but luckily, I managed to keep the handlebars upright and it was all good in the end." Fortunately, it wasn't only Pogačar who avoided mishap on the fastest road stage in Tour history (50.91 km/h average). According to the official race medical report, no new crashes or injuries were reported.
Tern's new HSD features new motors, Class III options
Tern's HSD has long been a top pick for compact cargo bikes. The third generation, announced today, focuses on tweaks to a successful platform rather than a complete overhaul. The frame is new but follows a familiar silhouette, and is EN tested for total payload of 190 kg / 419 lb (rider, bike and cargo).
The bike now features more motor options including Bosch's new fifth-generation Performance Sport system and a 545 wH battery that offers up to 67 miles of range. Some models are also upgraded to Class III support, with pedal-assist up to 28 mph (US versions). The HSD also has an expanded range of accessories for cargo and passenger compatibility, including weatherproof options. And the HSD P10e model features a wireless TRP drivetrain that offers an automatic mode: just set and let the system handle shifts autonomously.
There are four models: the P5i, P00, P10e and S9i sport, with prices starting at US$4,999 / €4,899 / £4,300, although accessories can quickly boost that total. Bikes will be available in North America and Europe starting in late summer. [Tern]
'The tarmac was melting': Seixas recounts sketchy stage 10 descents
The oppressive heat that has beset the Tour de France all last week manifested in various threats to rider safety, but on Tuesday's 10th stage it took the form of sketchy descents.
Tour organizer ASO spread white lime on some corners to try to prevent the surface from softening in the heat, but for Decathlon-CMA CGM's Paul Seixas, the danger was still acute. After a rear tire skid, Seixas backed off, likely fearing a repeat of his Tour Auvergne crash that ultimately ended his race. “I really think the tarmac was melting," he said after the stage. "The descent was like an ice rink, so it was lucky we were at the front at that point. We didn’t try to take any risks on the descent.”
Seixas stayed upright, but a number of riders including Tom Pidcock and Chris Harper of Pinarello-Q36.5 and Visma-Lease a Bike's Matteo Jorgenson were unlucky.
First-week Tour viewership declines
Average television viewership for the first nine stages of the Tour de France declined slightly across six key European markets, according to an analysis by Daam van Reeth, a professor of economics at KU Leuven who focuses on television audience trends in sports, particularly pro cycling.
Van Reeth's analysis, posted on his LinkedIn account, notes a 9% bump in viewership in Spain (likely due to the Catalan Grand Depart) and a 6% boost in France (possibly the Paul Seixas effect). But elsewhere numbers are down: -7% in Germany despite Florian Lipowitz's solid ride, and -13%, -19%, and -22% in the Netherlands, Italy and Flanders respectively. That adds up to a -4% trend in viewer numbers across all those markets, against average viewership totals from 2021-2025.
Pidcock and Jorgenson crash on Le Lioran stage
Ace descender Tom Pidcock isn't usually one to have trouble going downhill. But on the descent off the Puy Mary climb in Tuesday's tenth stage of the Tour de France, the Pinarello-Q36.5 rider slid out in a left-hand switchback. Visma-Lease a Bike's Matteo Jorgenson also later crashed in the same corner, as did Pidcock's teammate Chris Harper.
Both were up and riding again quickly and Pidcock chased back on to the main group of favorites riding in pursuit of lone attacker Tadej Pogačar. He would finish ninth on the day but was clearly displeased with the road conditions, particularly Tour promoter ASO's efforts to address the road surface.
“I don't know what they're doing with the roads here, they've put all this white 'shit' on them," he said, referencing lime that ASO spread in corners to keep the asphalt temperature from causing traction problems. "But that made it really slippery, especially in the descents.”
Jorgenson, meanwhile, finished nearly 13 minutes down, while Harper, who got up clutching his wrist, was over half an hour down but finished. Pidcock said he was feeling OK but would get medical checks just in case.
Willie Smit DQed from Tour of Magnificent Qinghai over camera glasses
Former WorldTour pro Willie Smit, now riding at the Continental level for China Anta-Mentech, was disqualified from the Tour of Magnificent Qinghai over his use of camera glasses. Smit said on social media that he had not realized that a recent UCI rule had gone into effect banning their use, while also suggesting that it was an extreme measure to kick him out of the race, especially considering the use of on-bike cameras for blogging purposes at the Tour de France.
"Today I was disqualified for the first time in my cycling career (14 years), for wearing glasses that record video. Unfortunately I was not aware of a new rule that was implemented in April that prohibited this," he wrote on X. "A warning, fine or yellow card could have also been enough. But what I struggle to understand is why In the Tour de France can you quite literally vlog with a camera in your hand which is perfectly legal...but because the camera is in the glasses you get an automatic Disqualification?! Yes, If I knew about the rule I would have also never posted it on social media. Anyways, I'll take it on the chin. Here is the video that got me disqualified & the other video is just to show what is completely allowed it seems. And lastly, my glasses have absolutely no AI capabilities unless used with a phone. So on the bike it can do nothing but record video!" [X]
A bidon and a bump in the road led to a chipped tooth for Sepp Kuss
As if riding in the Tour de France was not hard enough on its own, Sepp Kuss has been doing with a chipped tooth since stage 6. The 31-year-old American showed off a half-missing tooth in Victor Campenaerts video blog on Saturday, and he expounded on the strange circumstances behind the incident in a conversation with Wielerflits on Sunday.
"I was just holding the bottle in my mouth for too long and I must have hit a bump and it took the filling out," he said, noting that the problem isn't likely to get fixed any time soon but that it's not bothering him either. "It's looking like it might be the whole Tour. This next rest day, pretty small town, probably not too many dentists, but I'm getting used it now. It's not affecting me at all." [Wielerflits]
Tour spectators injured after press vehicle driver crashes into barriers
According to the AFP, eight spectators were injured at the end of Sunday's stage 9 of the Tour de France when the driver of a vehicle belonging to French newspaper L'Equipe "fell ill" and crashed into the finish line barriers.
The vehicle hit barriers inside the last 500 meters and injured people standing on the other side. One of those people was reportedly "critically" hurt but authorities said that his injuries are not life-threatening. [AFP]
CPA makes urgent call to 'find a solution before the 2027 season' amid increasing intensity of heatwaves
The riders' union CPA has put out a press release at the start of stage 9, adding its voice to the ongoing discussions about the intense heat that has characterised the 2026 Tour de France so far, and led to a shortening of Sunday's stage.
"The CPA considers the decision to shorten the stage to be understandable and responsible given the weather conditions," reads the press release. "However this situation once again highlights the need to fully implement the extreme weather conditions protocol."
Following a meeting with a representative of the race jury and Tour organisers before the stage, the CPA has advocated for more rigorous implementation of weather protocols, requested that riders' representatives should be part of the decision-making process, and has secured a 2% increase to the time limit.
"Following the discussions, it was agreed that, going forward, all parties would systematically meet to make race-related decisions whenever such difficult weather conditions endanger the riders' health...
"Given the increasing frequency of extreme heat waves, the CPA reaffirms that summer race start times must evolve in order to protect athletes' health. Riders remain fully committed to putting on the best possible show, but this must go hand in hand with adapting to the climate realities that cycling now faces."
The release ends with an urgent call "for discussions to be held with all stakeholders this winter, in order to find a solution before the 2027 season."
Seixas is entering uncharted territory at the Tour – 'he has never done more than eight stages'
Paul Seixas remains one of the biggest talking points of the 2026 Tour de France. So far, after eight completed stages, the 19-year-old Frenchman has held his own, losing time here and there to Tadej Pogačar – just like everybody else – while avoiding a bad day. Seixas goes into stage 9 sixth in the overall standings and within half a minute of the podium, but he's now entering a new phase at his debut Grand Tour.
"We are entering completely new territory,” Decathlon-CMA CGM sports director Julien Jurdie told Cyclism'Actu on the eve of stage 9. “Tomorrow is the ninth stage and he has never done more than eight stages in his young career. We must remember that he is only 19 years old.
“We are going to discover a new world with him. We will help him and make sure everything goes well. There is no reason why it should not, but we still need to be careful.”
Before the Tour, the longest race Seixas had completed was the 2025 Critérium du Dauphiné where he finished eighth overall. Most debutants at their first Grand Tour would be praised simply for getting round, but expectations are high for the wunderkind, who has so far exceeded normal expectations.
"I do not know whether normal is the right word,” he said. “At 19 years old, he is sixth overall in the Tour de France. He finished fifth on a Pyrenean stage and fourth on another stage earlier in the Tour.
“There is nothing normal about what Paul Seixas is doing.”
[Updated] Roglič attracts interest from Bahrain Victorious – debunked
Update a few hours after this story:Domestiquereported that Bahrain Victorious told them directly that its not going after Roglič.
Recent news around Primož Roglič has confirmed his departure from Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe at the close of 2026, as well as his interest in continuing for another year at least, with hopes of returning to the Tour with a new team.
The latest from Marca is that Bahrain Victorious is angling for the 36-year-old's signature, which makes sense for a couple of reasons: 1) the team's GM is the Slovenian Milan Eržen, and 2) while Antonio Tiberi and possibly Afonso Eulálio are in a process of development, Bahrain Victorious does not currently have a fully-fledged GC leader.
So Roglič, the five-time Grand Tour winner who is set to chase a fifth Vuelta a España victory later this summer, could fill the gap for a year or so, while also helping to develop the youngsters on the team, i.e. stepping into the role vacated by retiring Damiano Caruso.
'He pushes like a madman' – Wærenskjold on Girmay, who received a warning for stage 8 sprint
24 hours after finishing second to Tim Merlier on stage 7, Søren Wærenskjold was hoping for a similar result in Bergerac, but his progress was halted by a slightly errant Biniam Girmay – I say 'slightly' because the move made by the Eritrean sprinter, while not permitted, was only enough to earn a warning.
"He pushes like a madman," Wærenskjold told TV2 afterwards, having finished 11th in the stage 8 sprint. "It really makes me angry; he pushes me through the entire corner. It is very annoying. He bumped into me a few times and rides like a complete idiot."
The 'bumping' happened in the last corner just inside the last 600 metres, where overhead footage shows Girmay forcing Wærenskjold wide towards the outside barriers, which naturally meant a loss of momentum for the Norwegian.
“I was too far back and lost a lot of speed in the corner,” said Wærenskjold. He then gave another assessment of Girmay's actions, “He acts like an idiot the whole time. It is desperate and he absolutely does not deserve to pass me."
Girmay went from also being somewhat out of position on to Merlier's wheel, where he had the pace to follow and out-sprint the rest of the field to secure his best result of the Tour so far. The Eritrean was not the only sprinter to receive a warning from the jury, with Olav Kooij also appearing in dispatches, likely for his attempts to push Max Kanter off Jasper Philipsen's wheel.
'The problem is not the course, but the difference between Pogačar and the rest' – Gouvenou responds to criticism
The Tour de France's course designer and former pro rider Thierry Gouvenou has responded to criticism about the parcours of the opening week, and stage 6 in particular, with many lamenting that the Tour may already be over, at least as far as GC intrigue goes.
"We were unsure about how tough the sixth stage would be, but we knew for sure that the Tourmalet would be a decisive moment," Gouvenou told Danish TV. "To be honest, we hadn't expected such a big gap and we thought the differences at the finish would be smaller.
"In terms of tension in the general classification, you could say it was a failure. But that is also part of cycling. That is just how Pogačar is. He is so strong that any course suits him ... The problem is not the course, but the difference between Pogačar and the others.”
After seven completed days of racing, Pogačar already leads main rival Jonas Vingegaard by two minutes 42 seconds, with UAE teammate Isaac Del Toro currently winning the battle for third three minutes 27 seconds down.
Axel Merckx will lead a new development team for Soudal-Quick Step
Soudal-Quick Step announced on Friday that it was joining forces with Axel Merckx, who will lead a new iteration of Hagens Berman Axeon as a development squad for the Belgian WorldTour outfit. The team press release made no mention of the fact that Merckx's project has been a development team for Jayco-AlUla for the past three seasons as Hagens Berman Jayco.
According to Dan Benson on his Substack, current riders on the Hagens Berman Jayco team were told on Friday that Merckx was leaving the Jayco umbrella. Some of those riders may receive contracts with Jayco, which has not yet decided whether it will continue to fund a development team. Meanwhile, Merckx will bring his project and its longtime sponsor into the Soudal-Quick Step fold, where he will reunite with team CEO Jurgen Foré, who was his teammate more than 30 years ago when they were themselves up-and-comers in the Belgian racing scene.
Evenepoel and Lipowitz downplay friction over leadership
Remco Evenepoel is back on the dual-leader bandwagon. The Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe co-captain had some spicy words Thursday for Florian Lipowitz, saying the team's other protected rider refused to pull in the last kilometer of the stage to help set up Evenepoel for bonus seconds (he ultimately finished fourth, one spot out of the bonus).
But after a head-to-head conversation on the team bus and at dinner, sore feelings were smoothed over, said both riders. "“We talked to each other on the bus and the air cleared. In the end it was a tough day and we can be happy with the performance," Lipowitz said on Friday. "The mood is good and everyone is happy that we have a quieter day today."
Evenepoel also brushed aside the episode. "It was all good. The most important thing was not to lose too much time, apart from Tadej Pogačar," he told Eurosport. "It was clear that the collaboration [in the chase] was not good, otherwise we might still be able to catch [Vingegaard]. In the end, everyone did what they could."
Evenepoel also seemed more at ease with the idea that each rider would pursue his own objectives. "When the acceleration comes, we go our own pace," he said of future mountain stages. "Everything has been discussed and said in the meantime. The past is behind us, now we are going to look forward."
Powless back to winning ways after long layoff and knee surgery
Five months after Neilson Powless started his 2026 season at February's Tour de la Provence, only to abandon on the third stage, the 29-year-old has made his comeback at the Tour of Austria, taking victory on a lumpy stage 3 ahead of UAE Team Emirates-XRG's Igor Arrieta.
This marks a ninth professional win for Powless, and a successful return to competition after a lengthy layoff, which included surgery to his knee.
Having started the Tour of Austria simply hoping to get back into the racing groove again, Powless was part of a large breakaway on stage 3 that continued to fracture over the lumpy terrain between Lienz and Alpendorf, where the American outpaced Arrieta on the 2.6-kilometre uphill finale averaging 6.5%. Arrieta's teammate Jan Christen finished third, then Vincenzo Albanese and António Morgado made it an all-EF-and-UAE top five. Winner of both previous stages Gregor Mühlberger, racing for the Austrian national team instead of trade team Decathlon-CMA CGM, finished in the peloton to maintain the race lead.
Macron urges Seixas to stick with Decathlon
French president Emmanuel Macron was at the Tour de France on Thursday, where rising French star Paul Seixas rode to fifth on a challenging stage 6 in the Pyrenees. After the stage, Macron reportedly urged Seixas to stick with his (French) Decathlon-CMA CGM team, echoing a sentiment he already expressed earlier this year, as RMC Sport reports.
"He's on a good team," Macron said of Seixas during his visit to the Tour, which comes about a year before Seixas' current contract is set to expire, with several high-budget teams reportedly line up to try to secure his signature. [RMC Sport]
Arensman gives up GC aspirations after major losses on Tour stage 6
Thymen Arensman came into the Tour de France as a fringe GC contender for Netcompany-Ineos after his strong ride to fourth overall at the Giro d'Italia, but he lost nearly 17 minutes to Tadej Pogačar – and nearly 14 minutes to a sizable group of other GC hopefuls – on Thursday's stage 6.
"On the [Col d']Aspin, it was already full throttle," he told Wielerflits afterward. "That’s when I felt my body hadn’t recovered well enough from the Giro for a good general classification. On the Tourmalet, I thought: There isn’t going to be a good general classification, so I just rode to the finish. I think that makes perfect sense after a Grand Tour and fourth place in the Giro." [Wielerflits]
Træen out of the Tour with fractured ribs and concussion
Torstein Træen (Uno-X Mobility) started stage 6 of the Tour de France in the yellow jersey, but he will not start stage 7. The 30-year-old Norwegian, trying to limit his losses in a chase group after being dropped relatively early on the Col du Tourmalet, suffered multiple injuries in a crash on the descent after the summit.
Although he passed a roadside concussion assessment, the team's own post-stage check diagnosed him with a concussion as well as multiple broken ribs.
"This is really not the ending we wanted for this yellow adventure," said team boss Thor Hushovd.
"Torstein has given the team a historic moment, and what he and the whole team have achieved these past days is something we will always be proud of. But after the further checks this evening, it was clear that he could not continue."
