Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, center, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, rides in the pack during the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Aurillac and finish in Le Lioran, during the Tour de France Cycling race in France, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Pogačar powers to 3rd stage victory to demoralize rivals and extend Tour de France lead

Jul 14, 2026 | 8:38 AM

LE LIORAN, France (AP) — Tadej Pogačar won the 10th stage of the Tour de France to deal his rivals another crushing blow and extend his overall lead on Tuesday.

Pogačar, who had already sapped his rivals’ morale with victory on the iconic Col du Tourmalet on Thursday, again stamped his authority with a break just over 900 meters from the summit of the Col de Pertus, the penultimate climb on Tuesday’s hilly stage.

Pogačar’s closest race rival Jonas Vingegaard couldn’t follow and Pogačar quickly made ground on Richard Carapaz before powering past him 200 meters before the summit. The Slovenian rider didn’t slow down. Pogačar was 5 seconds ahead of Carapaz at the summit, and 18 ahead of Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel, Florian Lipowitz, Juan Ayuso and Paul Seixas.

At the finish line, Pogačar was 32 seconds ahead of Evenepoel for his 24th stage victory altogether – his third on Bastille Day, France’s national holiday – and the third already at this Tour.