Tadej Pogačar retained the yellow jersey after Stage 13 of the 2026 Tour de France, but Tom Pidcock transformed the fight for the podium by gaining more than seven minutes from a huge breakaway to Belfort.
Mauro Schmid won the 205.8km stage after beating Harold Tejada in a two-rider sprint. Pidcock finished third, two seconds behind, after helping drive a move that contained more than a third of the remaining peloton.
The principal general classification group crossed the line 7:32 later.
That lifted Pidcock from tenth to fourth overall, only nine seconds behind Remco Evenepoel and 39 seconds behind Jonas Vingegaard.
Pogačar’s lead over Vingegaard remains unchanged at 3:36. Juan Ayuso continues to lead the young rider classification, while Mads Pedersen kept green despite Jasper Philipsen reducing his advantage at the intermediate sprint.
The full story of the day is covered in our Tour de France 2026 Stage 13 report.
Photo Credit: A.S.O./Charly LópezTour de France 2026 general classification after Stage 13
| Position | Rider | Team | Time/gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tadej Pogačar | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | 47h 18m 31s |
| 2 | Jonas Vingegaard | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | +3m 36s |
| 3 | Remco Evenepoel | Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe | +4m 06s |
| 4 | Tom Pidcock | Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team | +4m 15s |
| 5 | Juan Ayuso | Lidl-Trek | +4m 22s |
| 6 | Paul Seixas | Decathlon CMA CGM | +4m 35s |
| 7 | Florian Lipowitz | Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe | +4m 44s |
| 8 | Isaac del Toro | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | +5m 08s |
| 9 | Mattias Skjelmose | Lidl-Trek | +5m 45s |
| 10 | Lenny Martinez | Bahrain Victorious | +6m 34s |
Pogačar keeps yellow without following the breakaway
Pogačar finished safely in the main general classification group alongside Vingegaard, Evenepoel, Ayuso and the other established contenders.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG did not attempt to close the full gap to the breakaway.
The team placed Brandon McNulty and Tim Wellens in the move, giving it representation at the front while allowing Pogačar to conserve energy before the two mountain stages at Le Markstein and Plateau de Solaison.
That strategy protected the yellow jersey but allowed Pidcock to move back into the podium fight.
Pogačar still leads Vingegaard by 3:36 and Evenepoel by 4:06. Those gaps were unchanged because the three riders finished together.
The Slovenian remains in control of the Tour, but the group of riders close enough to influence the podium battle has become considerably larger.
For newer viewers, our guide to how the Tour de France general classification works explains how riders can gain several minutes through a breakaway even when the yellow jersey group finishes together.
Pidcock gains more than seven minutes
Pidcock began Stage 13 in tenth place, 11:49 behind Pogačar.
His decision to join the large breakaway changed his Tour.
The Pinarello-Q36.5 rider helped force the pace once the move formed and remained near the front when the group began splitting on the Col des Croix and Ballon d’Alsace.
Pidcock attacked on the Ballon d’Alsace but could not permanently distance the strongest riders in the break. Schmid and Tejada eventually escaped before the finish, leaving Pidcock to win the sprint for third.
The result moved him to 4:15 behind Pogačar.
More importantly, Pidcock is now only nine seconds behind Evenepoel and 39 seconds behind Vingegaard.
He has gone from defending a possible top-10 finish to beginning Stage 14 as a genuine podium contender.
The reasons UAE and the other leading teams allowed him to take so much time are examined in our analysis of why the Tour de France peloton let Tom Pidcock gain more than seven minutes.
Is Pidcock now a Tour de France podium threat?
The standings say yes, although the route still makes his position difficult to defend.
Pidcock is ahead of Ayuso, Seixas, Lipowitz, Del Toro and Skjelmose. He is also close enough to Evenepoel that a small gap on Stage 14 could move him onto the provisional podium.
The question is how much Stage 13 cost him.
Pidcock spent most of the day in a fast and aggressive breakaway, repeatedly working near the front before attacking on the final major climb. His rivals remained protected in the peloton and completed much less work.
The Tour now heads directly into two mountain stages.
Stage 14 includes the Grand Ballon, Ballon d’Alsace and Col du Haag before the finish at Le Markstein. Stage 15 ends on the extremely steep Plateau de Solaison.
Pidcock must recover quickly enough to follow riders who were able to save energy on the road to Belfort.
The Stage 16 time trial is another concern. Evenepoel, Ayuso and Lipowitz should all expect to gain time on him against the clock.
Pidcock has reopened the podium contest, but holding fourth place may be harder than reaching it. Our deeper look at whether Tom Pidcock can finish on the Tour de France podium examines the strengths and weaknesses of his new position.
Evenepoel suddenly has Pidcock directly behind him
Evenepoel remains third overall at 4:06.
He finished with the other yellow jersey favourites and therefore lost no time to Pogačar or Vingegaard.
However, Pidcock’s move means the Belgian now has another rider to monitor.
Only nine seconds separate Evenepoel and Pidcock. Ayuso is 16 seconds behind Evenepoel, while Seixas and Lipowitz are also within 38 seconds.
Evenepoel still has the significant advantage of the Stage 16 individual time trial. He should gain time on Pidcock, Seixas and several other podium rivals there.
Before reaching it, he must defend his position through two difficult mountain stages.
Stage 13 did not expose any weakness from Evenepoel, but it removed most of the margin he previously held over the riders behind him.
Ayuso keeps white but slips to fifth overall
Ayuso remains the leader of the young rider classification.
The Spaniard finished with the main GC group and retained his advantage over Seixas, Lipowitz and Del Toro.
Pidcock’s rise pushed Ayuso from fourth to fifth overall, although his deficit to Evenepoel remains only 16 seconds.
Ayuso is therefore still firmly involved in the podium battle.
His immediate objective will be maintaining contact on the Col du Haag and Plateau de Solaison. If he remains close through those stages, the individual time trial should offer an opportunity to move back up the standings.
The white jersey competition is also tightly packed.
Ayuso leads Seixas by only 13 seconds, with Lipowitz 22 seconds behind and Del Toro at 46 seconds.
The strengths of all four contenders are covered in our guide to the young riders to watch at the Tour de France 2026.
Seixas remains within 29 seconds of the podium
Seixas stayed sixth overall at 4:35.
The French teenager did not follow Pidcock into the breakaway, but his position remains extremely strong before the Vosges mountain stage.
He is only 29 seconds behind Evenepoel and 20 seconds behind Pidcock.
Seixas may be among the riders best suited to the steep sections of the Col du Haag. A hard mountain stage could allow him to gain time on Pidcock and place direct pressure on Evenepoel.
He also remains only 13 seconds behind Ayuso in the young rider classification.
The main uncertainty is the Stage 16 time trial. Seixas is less proven against the clock than Ayuso, Lipowitz and Evenepoel, increasing the importance of gaining time in the mountains beforehand.
Lipowitz and Del Toro remain close enough to matter
Lipowitz is seventh overall at 4:44, only 38 seconds behind teammate Evenepoel.
The German’s time-trial ability keeps him firmly in contention for the final podium position. Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe also has the tactical benefit of two riders inside the top seven.
Del Toro is eighth at 5:08.
The Mexican remains 1:02 behind Evenepoel and 46 seconds behind Ayuso in the white jersey standings.
Neither rider gained time on Stage 13, but Pidcock’s move has compressed the strategic battle around third place.
Teams can no longer focus only on Evenepoel, Ayuso and Seixas. Any attack by Lipowitz or Del Toro must also be considered a possible podium move.
Skjelmose and Martinez complete a compact top 10
Skjelmose remains ninth at 5:45.
Lidl-Trek has two riders in the top nine through Ayuso and Skjelmose, as well as the lead in the team classification.
Martinez is tenth at 6:34.
Only 2:28 separates Evenepoel in third from Martinez in tenth. That is a relatively small margin before two summit-finish stages and an individual time trial.
Stage 13 did not alter the top three, but it made the fight immediately below them considerably more open.
Photo Credit: A.S.O./Charly LópezTour de France 2026 points classification after Stage 13
| Position | Rider | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mads Pedersen | Lidl-Trek | 377 |
| 2 | Jasper Philipsen | Alpecin-Premier Tech | 336 |
| 3 | Biniam Girmay | NSN Cycling Team | 333 |
| 4 | Tim Merlier | Soudal Quick-Step | 307 |
| 5 | Max Kanter | XDS Astana Team | 239 |
Philipsen closes the gap to Pedersen
Pedersen retained the green jersey but saw Philipsen reduce his lead.
Philipsen joined the large breakaway and won the intermediate sprint, continuing to collect points despite the hilly terrain.
Pedersen also scored at the sprint but conceded five points to the Belgian.
The Dane now leads by 41 points.
Girmay is only three points behind Philipsen and 44 behind Pedersen, while Merlier remains within 70 points of the lead.
The competition is still open, but the remaining route creates a major survival test. The sprinters must complete the mountain stages within the time limit before they can exploit the remaining points opportunities.
Pidcock also added points by finishing third in Belfort, although he remains far enough behind the main sprinters that green is not a realistic objective.
Pedersen’s combination of consistency, climbing durability and intermediate sprint strength made him the leading pre-race candidate in our Tour de France 2026 sprinters and green jersey guide.
Photo Credit: A.S.O./Charly LópezTour de France 2026 mountains classification after Stage 13
| Position | Rider | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tadej Pogačar | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | 42 |
| 2 | Jonas Vingegaard | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | 35 |
| 3 | Valentin Paret-Peintre | Soudal Quick-Step | 33 |
| 4 | Tom Pidcock | Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team | 28 |
| 5 | Richard Carapaz | EF Education-EasyPost | 28 |
Pidcock moves into the mountains classification top five
Pogačar continues to lead the polka-dot jersey competition on 42 points.
Vingegaard remains second with 35, while Paret-Peintre sits third on 33.
Pidcock collected points from the breakaway and moved into fourth place, level on points with Carapaz.
The classification is likely to change substantially during Stages 14 and 15.
Both days contain major first-category or hors catégorie climbs, with large points available near or at the finish. The GC favourites may therefore continue increasing their totals without specifically targeting the jersey.
Pogačar will wear yellow on Stage 14. Vingegaard is expected to continue wearing the polka-dot jersey as the next eligible rider in the mountains standings.
Our Tour de France 2026 climbers guide explains how summit finishes and breakaway points can shape the competition.
Photo Credit: A.S.O./Charly LópezTour de France 2026 young rider classification after Stage 13
| Position | Rider | Team | Time/gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Juan Ayuso | Lidl-Trek | 47h 22m 53s |
| 2 | Paul Seixas | Decathlon CMA CGM | +13s |
| 3 | Florian Lipowitz | Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe | +22s |
| 4 | Isaac del Toro | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | +46s |
| 5 | Lenny Martinez | Bahrain Victorious | +2m 12s |
Ayuso’s white jersey lead remains narrow
Ayuso retained white after finishing with his main rivals.
Only 13 seconds separate him from Seixas, with Lipowitz at 22 seconds and Del Toro at 46 seconds.
Martinez remains fifth at 2:12.
The Stage 13 breakaway did not contain a young rider close enough to overhaul the leading group, meaning the classification remained unchanged.
The next three competitive stages should determine its direction.
Seixas and Del Toro may benefit most from the steep summit finishes. Ayuso and Lipowitz should expect to perform strongly in the time trial.
The young rider battle is therefore also a contest between mountain strength and ability against the clock.
The wider rules for yellow, green, polka dots and white are covered in our Tour de France 2026 jerseys explained guide.
Tour de France 2026 team classification after Stage 13
| Position | Team | Time/gap |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lidl-Trek | 141h 53m 38s |
| 2 | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | +9m 18s |
| 3 | Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe | +36m 58s |
| 4 | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | +38m 51s |
| 5 | Decathlon CMA CGM | +1h 08m 03s |
Lidl-Trek keeps control of the team competition
Lidl-Trek retained the team classification lead despite UAE gaining time through its representation in the breakaway.
McNulty and Wellens both finished inside the stage top 10, while UAE’s third counting rider also arrived ahead of the yellow jersey group.
That reduced Lidl-Trek’s advantage to 9:18.
The team classification combines the times of each squad’s three highest finishers on every stage. It therefore rewards teams capable of placing several riders near the front rather than simply possessing the individual race leader.
Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe moved ahead of Visma into third, although both teams remain more than half an hour behind Lidl-Trek.
The different objectives and responsibilities within a Tour squad are explained in our Tour de France 2026 team-by-team guide.
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Photo Credit: A.S.O./Thomas Maheux
Who will wear each jersey on Stage 14?
The riders leading the four main classifications after Stage 13 are:
- Yellow jersey: Tadej Pogačar
- Green jersey: Mads Pedersen
- Polka-dot jersey: Tadej Pogačar
- White jersey: Juan Ayuso
Pogačar leads both the general and mountains classifications, so he will wear yellow.
Vingegaard is second in the mountains standings and should continue wearing the polka-dot jersey on Pogačar’s behalf.
Ayuso remains in white, although Seixas and Lipowitz are both within 22 seconds.
What happens next at the Tour de France?
Stage 14 takes the riders from Mulhouse to Le Markstein-Fellering for the first major Vosges mountain stage.
The route includes the Côte des Cinq Châteaux, Côte de Gueberschwihr, Col du Firstplan, Col du Petit Ballon, Col du Platzerwasel and Grand Ballon before the final ascent of the Col du Haag.
The summit of the Haag comes only a short distance before the finish at Le Markstein.
Pogačar begins the day with a 3:36 lead over Vingegaard, while only 39 seconds separate Vingegaard in second from Pidcock in fourth.
The fight behind them is even tighter.
Only 38 seconds separate Evenepoel in third from Lipowitz in seventh. Pidcock’s Stage 13 raid has therefore ensured that every leading team must reconsider its approach to the final climbs.
Stage 14 will reveal whether Pidcock’s move has created a sustainable podium challenge or whether the energy spent reaching fourth place carries an immediate cost.
The route and tactical possibilities are covered in our Tour de France 2026 Stage 14 preview, while the decisive climb is examined in our guide to the Col du Haag.
The remaining stages can be viewed in the Tour de France 2026 full route guide.
