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Monday, July 27, 2026

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Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. - Frederick Douglass

Bill & Carol McGann’s book The Story of the 2024 Tour de France: The Happy Warrior Triumphs is available print, Kindle eBook and audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the link on the right.

Upcoming racing:

July 28 - 30: Tour de l'Ain
August 1: Clasica San Sebastian
August 2: Circuito de Getxo

Latest completed racing:

Tour de France stage 21 reports

We posted the race organizer's report with the results.

Here's the report from GC second-place Remco Evenepoel's Team Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe:

With two stage wins and second place in the general classification, the team can look back on its most successful Tour de France to date after 21 stages in Paris. The key to this success was Remco Evenepoel, who, supported by a strong group around him, set new personal bests as well as new team records.

For the first time in his career, Remco finished the Tour in second place, proving himself to be exceptionally consistent. In addition to his two stage wins on stages 15 and 16 around the second rest day – first at the mountain finish on the Plateau de Solaison and then in the time trial – the Belgian finished in the top three on three further stages. On 14 of the 21 race days, he was on the podium in the general classification.

Remco Evenepoel wins stage fifteen. ASO photo

And for Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe, second place in the final standings is also a first. Remco has thus once again surpassed last year’s result, when Florian Lipowitz took home not only the white jersey for the best young rider but also third place in the general classification. This result is all the more remarkable because the team had to contest the final stage of the Tour without its second rider in the general classification.

The trend over the recent history of the Tour is clear. Following Emanuel Buchmann’s fourth place in 2019, Wilco Keldermann and Aleksandr Vlasov’s joint fifth places in 2021 and 2022, and last year’s first podium finish, the result at the 2026 Tour de France is now the next milestone in the team’s development. It underlines that Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe is on the right track and has established itself amongst the most successful Grand Tour teams.

Remco Evenepoel: “I came into the race with a clear goal: to win a stage and finish on the podium in the general classification. It worked out – I actually won two stages. I’m very happy with what we’ve achieved as a team. And it shows that I don’t have to bury my career goal of winning all three Grand Tours just yet.”

Ralph Denk, CEO: "That said, the team showed once again – particularly on the penultimate stage – that we’re not content to rest on our laurels, but have the drive to win. That’s what I mean by attractive cycling.my dream to cross the line in Paris wearing the yellow jersey one day. The Grand Tours are definitely the races we want to continue focusing on. That said, the team showed once again – particularly on the penultimate stage – that we’re not content with what we’ve already achieved, but have the drive to win. That’s what I mean by exciting cycling.”

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Here's the Tour de France stage 21 report from GC fourth-place Paul Seixas' Team Decathlon CMA CGM:

Dominique Serieys, Chief Executive DECATHLON CMA CGM:
“The main goals of this Tour France were to allow Paul Seixas to gain experience in this race, to aim for the best possible overall classification, and finally to secure a stage victory with Olav Kooij in a sprint finish. In the end, the results were extraordinary. The results Paul achieved at age 19 are historic, with a 4th-place finish in the final general classification and two stage podium finishes, all while learning to cope with the unique challenges of Tour France: the heat, the pressure, and the fervor of the crowds. All of this makes for an exceptional performance.

"To succeed, we needed a strong team effort throughout these three weeks. Every riders vital riders : Aurélien, Tiesj, Nicolas, and Matthew during that grueling final week in the Alps, as well as Cees, Daan, and Olav on the sprint stages. They were all central to the success of the team’s dual objectives, as demonstrated by their collaborative effort on the sprint stages, which yielded not only a victory but also two second-place finishes and two third-place finishes. “Our sprint unit reached a new milestone in this Tour Olav Kooij confirmed his immense talent. The rest of the season promises even more great successes.”

Olav Kooij wins stage five. Sirotti photo

Paul Seixas:
“Racing the Tour France has been my dream for so long, and I’m very happy to have seen it through to the end. Over the last few days, I gave it my all to finish on the podium; I didn’t succeed, but I’m still satisfied and proud of this 4th-place finish in the general classification. I owe this first and foremost to my team because, in addition to a stage win, all the riders up when it mattered most to support me. We finished with eight riders, and if I didn’t have a single bad day, it’s thanks to them.

“Second, I’m happy with what I’ve learned. I now know that I’m capable of lasting three weeks; I’ve seen that it requires constant concentration and unparalleled mental energy. Of course, there were tough moments, but all of this will serve me well, and I can now put into concrete terms what I still need to do to keep improving and return to the Tour France.”

Olav Kooij:
“When we decided I would compete in this Tour France, the goal was to win a stage. With this victory in the very first sprint, I can be truly satisfied. We gave it our all in every sprint and came close to a second victory on several occasions. Overall, I’ve been pretty consistent throughout these three weeks, so I can be pretty happy with my overall performance. Fighting for the best possible position in the general classification alongside Paul, and having something to play for every day, was also a good thing. Of course, it was tough, but when you race the way we did as a team, you can’t help but be satisfied with the result.”

The DECATHLON CMA CGM Team’s Tour France by the Numbers:

4: Just like Paul Seixas’s finish in the final general classification of Tour 2026 Tour France. At 19, the Frenchman became the youngest rider history to finish in the top 5 of the Tour de France. He also finished second in the Best Young rider classification.

1: That’s the number of stage wins the DECATHLON CMA CGM team has secured in this edition of Tour. By winning in Pau during the first mass sprint, Olav Kooij claimed a victory in his very first appearance.

3: That’s the number of riders the team in the top 20 of the overall standings in this Tour France. Nicolas Prodhomme (16th) and Tiesj Benoot (17th) stepped up alongside Paul Seixas (4th) to support him throughout the three weeks. Like him, they finished in the top 20. The team also took 4th place in the team classification, demonstrating a solid collective performance, as evidenced by its victory in the team classification on Stage 18.

8: That’s the number of stage podium finishes the team achieved at the 2026 Tour France. Paul Seixas made it onto the podium twice (stages 9 and 14). Olav Kooij, for his part, claimed six (stages 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, and 21).

16: Over the course of 21 stages, the DECATHLON CMA CGM team finished in the top 10 on 16 occasions.

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Here's the Tour report from King of the Mountains Richard Carapaz's Team EF Education-EasyPost:

After a scintillating race over Montmartre and onto the Champs-Élysées, Max Walker, Sean Quinn, Ben Healy, Kasper Asgreen, Michael Valgren, Georg Steinhauser, Alex Baudin, and Richard Carapaz hugged, high-fived, and toasted their success by the finish line, before Richie was awarded the polka dot jersey as King of the Mountains under the Arc de Triomphe. Richie also won the Supercombativity prize for attacking the 2026 Tour in EF Pro Cycling style.

King of the Mountains Richard Carapaz. Sirotti photo

Richie's stage wins in Orcières-Merlette on Stage 18 and Alpe d'Huez on Stage 20 were vintage EF Pro Cycling victories. They took creativity and guts and massive efforts from the whole squad. Our riders rallied together in Barcelona and took the race to the peloton together every chance they got. Alex Baudin's attacks early in the race earned him three days in the maillot à pois. Sean Quinn came within a few seconds of wearing the yellow jersey. Michael Valgren, Kasper Asgreen, and Max Walker went on the offensive time and time again and did heaps of essential, unsung work in the peloton. Georg Steinhauser and Ben Healy made race-defining efforts for Richie in the mountains.

Our sports directors, Charly Wegelius, Andreas Klier, and Tom Southam, are very proud of the way our squad rode at this Tour de France. Their efforts in the race Cadillacs deserve special mention, too. Tour after Tour, our squads punch above their weight, earning prizes and fans' hearts with our courageous racing style. Stage wins and King of the Mountains victories like Richie's are the result of months of research and preparation with our performance staff, and then calm, cool decision-making from the car in the heat of the action. Our success is theirs.

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And here's the Tour de France report from points classification winner Mads Pedersen's Team Lidl-Trek:

The final curtain has come down on the 2026 Tour de France. From the moment the flag dropped in a blisteringly hot Barcelona to signify the Grand Départ, this has been a brutal but brilliant edition of the greatest bike race in the world.

3,321 kilometers raced, 54,500 meters of elevation gained, eight mountain stages, five summit finishes and countless water bottles consumed. We have been through the Pyrenees, Vosges, Jura and Alps, covering fabled, iconic mountains such the Tourmalet, Galibier, Grand Ballon and, of course, Alpe d’Huez. Like always, it comes to a magical end with the spectacular finale in Paris, the City of Lights.

Lidl-Trek arrived at this year’s edition of La Grande Boucle with big ambitions, and finishes the race having delivered one of the team’s most complete Grand Tour performances in recent memory. From huge rides in the mountains by our general classification riders, to spectacular displays of teamwork in the breakaway from our puncheurs, it has been a remarkable show of collective strength from a squad who have left their mark on this race.

Lead DS Steven de Jongh had this to say:
"Before the race, if someone offered me the team classification, the green jersey, and a stage win, I would 100% sign up for it. It was super nice to see how the team road, especially in the last week as a collective. The performance by Mads was amazing. He was so determined to get the green and I think we saw something historical. Winning the team classification and having Luca on the podium with us, it was the best gift we could give him on this special day.

Mads Pedersen won the points classification. Sirotti photo

"Mads Pedersen’s victory in the points classification was the reward for three weeks of relentless consistency. His hard-fought win on stage four marked the start of a determined journey from the entire team to protect the green jersey throughout the race. Whether it was getting in the early break on punishing mountain stages to collect valuable intermediate sprint points, or contesting bunch sprints, Pedersen embodied the versatility and resilience required to win green – a prize he has been chasing to complete the trilogy of points jerseys in every Grand Tour. It is a fitting reward for a man who has given every ounce of energy to this goal throughout the past 21 stages.

"Alongside Pedersen, our climbers, Mattias Skjelmose and Juan Ayuso also showed grit and determination in the mountains, fighting hard in a competitive GC field. Both riders finished inside the top-10 overall after some breakthrough performances in the time trials and on summit finishes. Above all, valuable experience was gained for Ayuso and Skjelmose who will undoubtedly only be more motivated to come back next year for more."

Reflecting on his performance, Ayuso said:
"The truth is, when you give it your all, you can't ask for much more. It's been a tough Tour for me, but giving up is never an option. I always tried to give my best, even when things aren't going my way.

"I'm leaving quite proud, because even though things didn't go as I'd hoped, I always tried to bring out the best in myself. From the first week with the Tourmalet, it was tough, and with each stage I got through, I felt quite proud, because I was trying my best to get through it.

"I feel more frustration at not having arrived here in the way I would have liked, but nothing exceptional about it. I've always given my best and I'm proud of that.
Yesterday I was suffering all day, but I tried mentally to hold on and tried again to bring out the best version of myself I could.

"I fought every day, whether I was feeling unwell or extremely fatigued.

"I believe that mental preparation will also make me stronger so that when I finally have the legs I want for a race like this, everything will come together and we can aim for great things."

Of course, the achievements of these riders would not be possible without the team supporting them. Quinn Simmons, Mathias Vacek, Derek Gee-West, Carlos Verona and Toms Skujiņš all played integral roles in both the mountains and in breakaways to achieve collective goals. This squad adapted to every terrain, constantly racing aggressively with bold, brave strategies and complete trust in their leaders. Lidl-Trek’s win in the overall Team Classification at the end of the Tour reflects this collective brilliance.

Carlos Verona said after the race:
"It's so special and I think it's something that we deserve. We were always fighting for the sprints, in the mountains, intermediate points, and for the GC so I think it's a really nice reward. To do it with this team and these people, it's something that most of us will never forget because it's not so often you can go to the final podium in Paris. All the riders and staff did a maximum effort and had big ambitions. Everybody has personal goals but we were all able to manage everything - to have the team's goals above everything and I think this is the key. Everyone committed to their role 100% and that's why we're on the podium."

The Tour de France this year has been pure entertainment, and Lidl-Trek are proud to have been part of that. Every opportunity for stage wins, general classification gains and green jersey points has been grabbed with intent, and that will celebrated proudly in Paris tonight. We can also look towards the future with hope and excitement, having made a statement of intent at this year’s Tour – there’s plenty more to come.

Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,

Monday, July 27, 2026

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