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Thursday, July 10, 2025

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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia

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Tour de France stage five reports

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

Here's the report from stage winner Remco Evenepoel's Team Soudal Quick-Step:

Remco Evenepoel claimed his ninth Grand Tour stage victory in Caen, a city deeply rooted in the history of the Tour de France, where it made its maiden appearance in 1905. The reigning World and National Champion of the discipline, the 25-year-old had a perfect day in Normandie, where he put his superb time trial skills on display to deliver Soudal Quick-Step’s 53rd Tour de France win.

The Belgian, one of the few riders in history to have won individual time trials in all three Grand Tours, averaged 54km/h thanks to a searing pace Wednesday afternoon, where he had to overcome the stiff headwind in the first part of the 33km flat course that ended up bringing significant changes to the general classification.

Remco Evenepoel on his way to winning the stage. Sirotti photo

At the finish, the one nicknamed “The AeroBullet” stopped the clock in 36:42, smashing the previous best time and crowning his sublime performance with another victory at the biggest race in the world, one that helped him make a leap of seven places in the rankings – where he now sits second – and take the white jersey, which he won last year in Nice.

“You never know what can happen in a time trial, but I was incredibly motivated today. I knew I had a formidable bike and a good chance to take the victory, and fortunately, the legs were there and everything went as planned from start to finish. I am happy with this result, with ticking off an important goal and with our team’s second success of the week, as it makes us more relaxed.”

“I pushed a steady tempo, a bit harder on the uphill parts, and in the end, I kept the same pace I had in the opening kilometers and continued to gain time on the others. I am content with the way I paced myself and with moving up on the overall standings of the race. It was an important chance for me to gain time on the others and the fact I did it gives me a lot of confidence”, Remco said after once again showing his time trial supremacy.

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The Story of the Tour de France, vol.1 South Salem Cycleworks frames Melanoma: It Started With a Freckle

Here's the Tour report from new GC leader Tadej Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates-XRG:

Riding to second place in the stage 5 individual time trial, Tadej Pogačar took control of the Tour de France and pulled on the Yellow Jersey for the first time this year. The three-time champion was bettered only by Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) on the 33km-long course, putting more than a minute into many of his rivals.

Tadej Pogacar riding into the yellow jersey. Sirotti photo

Losing only half a second per kilometre to the time trial world champion, Evenepoel, Pogačar came home just 16 seconds down on the Belgian. With the time of 36:58 enough to see Pogačar finish second on stage 5, the road race world champion moves into the lead of the race with a 42-second advantage over the second-placed Evenepoel.

Not content with Yellow, Pogačar also now leads both the King of the Mountains and Points classifications heading into stage 6. The Slovenian spoke of his delight with his performance after the stage, before turning his attention to the days ahead.

Pogačar: “I am super happy with how I rode today. To be 16 seconds behind the world champion, the Olympic champion, the best time trialist in the world right now [Remco Evenepoel], I am super super happy. To gain time on the GC and only lose a little bit to Remco, I am super happy.

“It’s a very good day and I am happy, but I am just happy that this day is over and we can focus now on the next days and keep this ball rolling in the Tour de France.

“The most important is Yellow, but the most important is to have it on the Champs-Élysées on the finish line. Now, it feels good, but the important thing is to have it in Paris.

“This year the parcours is designed really hectic so we have to be careful in every stage. So far, it has been really nervous and super hard, so I think tomorrow and the next days will be the same. We need to keep control, we keep calm, and we believe in ourselves. In the team, we have super strong riders and we believe in one goal. We will keep riding just as we did up to this point.”


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The Story of the Giro d’Italia, vol.1 Shade Vise sunglass holder Paris-Roubaix: The Inside Store

Here's the Tour de France report from Jonas Vingegaard's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:

Team Visma | Lease a Bike endured a difficult fifth day at the Tour de France. Leader Jonas Vingegaard and Matteo Jorgenson didn’t deliver strong time trials and couldn't compete for the stage win. Edoardo Affini, on the other hand, powered to an impressive third place.

Edoardo Affini on his way to third place in the stage. Sirotti photo

“I didn’t have good legs today, and that means I lost time to my rivals”, Vingegaard refers to Remco Evenepoel’s stage win and Tadej Pogacar’s second place. The Dane, along with Jorgenson, now trails the duo by more than a minute in the general classification. “That surprised me a bit, but that’s part of cycling.”

Earlier in the afternoon, Affini had set the fastest time of the day up to that point. The European time trial champion spent several hours in the hot seat before ultimately finishing third in the time trial in and around Caen. “That’s a great result for him, but of course we had hoped for a stronger time trial from both Matteo and Jonas”, Head of Racing Grischa Niermann says. “After just a few kilometers, we already realized Jonas was losing time, and that didn’t change.”

He continues: “In a time trial like this, you need to push from start to finish and execute the technical sections well. That’s wasn’t the problem today. I think Jonas simply didn’t have the power. We’re now behind in the general classification and will have to chase to win the Tour de France. Tomorrow will be another battle.”

Vingegaard is also combative after his time trial. “The result wasn’t good today, but luckily the Tour is still long. I believe in myself and in the plan we’ve created together. We can still win the Tour de France. In previous editions, we’ve seen that coming back from a deficit like this is not impossible.” Tomorrow, the Tour de France continues with a hilly sixth stage.


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And here's the Tour stage five report from Carlos Rodriguez's Team INEOS Grenadiers:

Carlos Rodriguez jumped up the general classification at the Tour de France following a strong ride in the stage five time trial.

The Spaniard clocked the 27th fastest time in Caen across the 33-kilometre course, moving up to 16th place overall in the process.

Newly crowned Norwegian national champion Tobias Foss was the fastest Grenadier on the day, setting the 14th fastest effort.

Carlos Rodriguez finishing stage four of the 2025 Tour de Romandie. Sirotti photo

Remco Evenepoel (Soudal – Quick-Step) set the fastest time late on, crossing the line 16 seconds ahead of new race leader Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates – XRG).

Rodriguez now sits 4:04 back on the yellow jersey ahead of Thursday’s sixth stage.

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