Remco Evenepoel in 2025 Tour de France Stage Five ITT. His time of 37 minutes 15 seconds was truly impressive and held off the competition with authority. His incredible domination earned him the stage victory. Aside from rewarding Daniel on his merits, it kept him competitive in the standings overall. From that point on, Tadej Pogacar quickly took control as the race overall leader. Though he did not win, he placed second, scoring dramatic points on his rivals.
In a remarkable performance, Pogacar was only 16 seconds behind Evenepoel’s time. Meanwhile, he increased his deficit to Jonas Vingegaard by half a minute in the second checkpoint. In light of this, Pogacar today leads Evenepoel and the rest of the field by a cool 42 seconds on GC. His domination of the race won him the yellow jersey, green jersey, and polka-dot jersey. This accomplishment cements his role as a powerful dark horse of a player in this year’s Tour.
Evenepoel’s Standout Performance
Second, Evenepoel’s time trial got off to an outstanding start, taking 20 seconds out of his rivals at the first checkpoint. His time was eight seconds off Edoardo Affini’s pace at the second checkpoint. No one expected him to maintain his lead throughout the race course as it turned out, he did so masterfully. His finishing time of 37 minutes, 15 seconds was remarkably fast considering the terrain. Yet, it didn’t take the day’s quickest time.
The Belgian cyclist had to display every ounce of bicycling talent and intestinal fortitude as he negotiated an impossibly difficult course. His win was the crown jewel of proving that despite the pressure, one can still shine in a discipline where each vaporous whiff of oxygen matters. Evenepoel’s efforts were evident as he pushed through the final stretches, finishing strong despite facing stiff competition from Pogacar.
“You’re quicker than Roglic! Quicker than Vingegaard! Quicker than Jorgenson!” – Kevin Vauquelin’s directeur sportif
In many ways, Evenepoel’s remarkable victory last September reaffirmed the confidence some had in the phenom before his crash. He has become the most important contender at this year’s Tour de France. In order for him to capture the overall title, he needs to maintain his momentum in the remaining stages.
Pogacar Takes Command
Tadej Pogacar’s impressive second-place finish has set the tone for his campaign in this year’s Tour. He crushed Jonas Vingegaard by almost a minute and a half at the second checkpoint. This achievement has put him within striking distance of the general classification. Pogacar currently holds a commanding lead at the race. Vingegaard clocked 38 minutes and 3 seconds to finish 1 minute and 21 seconds behind Evenepoel.
Pogacar’s pacing play in the winner’s time trial showcased his small-ball instincts and elite approach to endurance in high-pressure championship situations. It was enough to earn him points, having finished only 16 seconds behind Evenepoel. Aside from that performance, the debate provided him critical time that might shift the race’s dynamics going forward.
The Slovenian rider’s exceptional performance at this year’s Tour has made him a superstar darlings of fans and pros-cyclists. He is now wearing the yellow jersey, an indication of his amazing talent and grit. Now he is laser focused on a fourth straight victory in the Tour de France.
“Some pundits get overly reminiscent as they get older but Sean Kelly is still top of his game, up to date on tech, riders and tactics,” – Matthew Lysaght
Pogacar’s multifaceted success is underscored by his acquisition of the green jersey for points classification and the polka-dot jersey for best climber. These accomplishments are about something bigger than just winning single stages. They are a testament to the complete approach to winning embodied by their quest for success throughout the Tour.
Vingegaard and Other Contenders
What an unexpected blast by Jonas Vingegaard on Stage Five. This opened up questions about his prospects of taking home the overall title this year. With that finishing 1’13” down on Pogacar, he puts himself in an enormously difficult position to win this race, should it continue in the same manner. He placed first in the 10k with a time of 38 minutes, 3 seconds. This patchy form would threaten his hopes for a strong result in the general classification.
Moreover, since a serious challenger like Mathieu van der Poel finished far back of Evenepoel, 1:44 down. He is now much further out of contention for the general classification. All of this has fueled a lot of guessing about his plan for the next phases of the race.
As the competition intensifies, teams will need to reconsider their tactics for upcoming stages, particularly with regard to how they support their leading cyclists. The fast pace of the race really adds to this, as the nature of cycling is such that one stage can completely change the rankings and race strategy.
“What with 20 or so cyclists on the ITT course at the same time, that would be a lot of official vehicles,” – Mark From Florida