Remco Evenepoel makes it back-to-back Tour de France stage wins with dominant individual time trial performance

Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) lived up to his favourite status at Stage 16 of the 2026 Tour de France on Tuesday, cruising to a second stage win in a row in the individual time trial as the final week begins.

The Belgian, newly installed in second place following the abandon of Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) on Sunday, put in an impeccable performance to beat Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) by almost half a minute.

Evenepoel's team-mate, Florian Lipowitz, suffered a crash late on in the stage and was forced to abandon the race. Red Bull later announced that Lipowitz had suffered a broken collarbone.

The 26km TT, starting and finishing in two spa towns situated on the French shore of Lake Geneva, was a course of three thirds. The first was a steady second category climb, followed by a descent of the same, before a 9km flat run-in. It meant the race would favour the general classification all-rounders such as Evenepoel better than TT specialists like Filippo Ganna and Josh Tarling of Netcompany Ineos.

Nonetheless, Tarling especially put in a sufficiently strong performance to take the early hot-seat by more than three minutes. He then stayed there for the better part of two hours, with Bruno Armirail (Visma-Lease a Bike) the first rider to go quicker. Armirail himself was dislodged by Matteo Cattaneo (Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe). Thymen Arensman would have gone quicker still, had the Ineos rider not missed his start time.

Later in the day, conditions appeared to improve and the general classification contenders took the overall performances up another level, as ninth place Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) was a surprise quickest at the first split.

Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM), riding his first ever Tour de France ITT, was roared out of the gate and put in a performance to more than match expectations. Chasing Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) for both the podium and the best young rider jersey, Seixas more than passed the test, riding smoothly but still fast while staying a few seconds ahead of his Mexican rival all the way.

Del Toro's former team-mate Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek), who had been a contender, was the only disappointment on the day as he shipped not just a minute to those two, but the same plus-12 to his own team-mate, Mattias Skjelmose, calling into question the outright leadership of the team.

No such doubts at Red Bull as Lipowitz, who had held fifth place in the general classification standings before Tuesday, slid out on a late right bend, crashing hard into a kerb before being forced to abandon the race. 

His colleague Evenepoel had been on another planet anyway, fastest of anyone by 20 seconds after the first eight minutes of riding, almost a minute by the top of the climb, and stopping the clock 64 seconds faster than Skjelmose at the line.

Pogacar was the only rider to run him close, although the maillot jaune had a hairy moment at the same turn as Lipowitz. A 28-second deficit to Evenepoel at the finish means Pogacar maintains a commanding lead of 4’32 with four proper stages remaining.

TOMORROW! THIS IS A 'FLAT' STAGE APPARENTLY

SureJan.gif. Another one for Mathieu van der Poel, perhaps?

1. Tadej Pogacar 56:14'18"
2. Remco Evenepoel +4'32
3. Isaac Del Toro +6'51
4. Paul Seixas +7'11
5. Juan Ayuso +9'22
6. Mattias Skjelmose +10'14
7. Lenny Martinez +12'50
8. Tom Pidcock +12'58
9. Jordan Jegat 22'50
10. Yannis Voisard +22'50

A veritable ocean covering the top ten. No changes to the order, although Florian Lipowitz's abandonment moves everyone behind him up one, while a few riders have drawn themselves a little bit closer to those ahead. There are just 20 seconds between Isaac del Toro in 3rd and Paul Seixas in 4th. The white jersey and the final podium place is going all the way to the wire.

His time, 7'40 down on Remco's, was well within the timecut of 9'42.

1. Remco Evenepoel 32'19"
2. Tadej Pogacar +28"
3. Mattias Skjelmose +1'04"
4. Paul Seixas +1'16"
5. Isaac del Toro +1'21

The yellow jersey is far from slow, but he's steady as you like, satisfied to concede the stage to Remco, and only by 27 seconds. Pogacar keeps the yellow jersey.

By an enormous 64 seconds. Now we'll find out how much of that is a dent in Pogacar's first place overall lead.

There's still almost nothing in it.

A job well done, 12 seconds down on Skjelmose, P2 for now, he should be more than happy with that. "An exam passed with flying colours," says Rob Hatch.

Fascinating to see how much tighter and faster these higher riders are taking that corner.

Not the performance we'd expected at all.

With Lipowitz now confirmed as abandoned, Remco is confirmed as his team's leader.

It won't be enough for the win, but it's the TT of his life, as he goes a massive 38 seconds faster than Cattaneo.

He crosses the line 25 seconds down on Matteo Cattaneo.

He's flown out and it's looking ominous, in no hurry to get back up. The bike just slid from under him.

I think that's retrievable, but what it would take in terms of risk is surely not worth it.