Remco Evenepoel smashes Tour de France stage 16 time trial to beat Pogacar again

Remco Evenepoel dominates Tour de France stage 16 time trial

Remco Evenepoel claimed his second straight Tour de France stage win on July 21, 2026, finishing 28 seconds ahead of Tadej Pogačar in a brutal 26.1km time trial around Lake Geneva. The Belgian’s flawless ride-fastest at every checkpoint-cemented his reputation as the sport’s greatest ever time triallist.

What happened on stage 16?

Evenepoel, a three-time world champion against the clock, controlled the technical course from the first climb. He led by six seconds at the summit checkpoint, then stretched his advantage at each split. Pogačar, the yellow jersey, managed second place but admitted Evenepoel was simply faster.

But the day wasn’t perfect for Evenepoel’s Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe team. Florian Lipowitz crashed out on a sharp right-hand bend near the finish, abandoning the race with a knee injury. The German had finished third overall in 2025.

Why Evenepoel’s time trial mastery matters

Evenepoel’s margin over Pogačar-28 seconds-wasn’t the 2025 world champs gulf where he overhauled the Slovenian. Yet his dominance in the discipline remains unmatched. Pogačar put it plainly: *“I can’t be disappointed. He’s the greatest-ever in the time trial.”*

The course mixed climbing, descending, and a flat finale-a true test of time trialling, according to one team boss. Evenepoel’s pacing and power on the 25km route left rivals gasping.

What’s next for Evenepoel?

Evenepoel now trails Pogačar by 4:32 overall but leads Isaac del Toro by over two minutes. The Belgian, 26, still has a shot at his best Tour finish when the race hits Alpe d’Huez on Friday and Saturday.

Off the bike, the win carried extra weight. Evenepoel’s family-parents, wife, and in-laws-watched from the roadside on Belgian National Day. *“It’s amazing,”* he said. *“Pretty special to deliver this for them.”*

The stage top 10 showed Evenepoel’s Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe teammates Mattia Cattaneo in sixth and Thymen Arensman in seventh. But the focus stays on Evenepoel, whose time trial prowess keeps him in the Tour’s upper echelons.