The 181km stage from Col du Soulor to Hautacam was the first real mountain test of the Tour de France, but the high temperatures and humidity took a toll on riders. In contrast to previous years’ stages, this one didn’t pose a significant challenge, yet the heat still affected performances.
A 50-man breakaway dominated the stage, with Bruno Armirail taking solo leadership before the final ascent. French rider Kevin Vauquelin showed his endurance, spending 3402 kilojoules over 3:45 hours at a pace of 13.65kj/kg/h. However, UAE Emirates’ Tim Wellens and Jhonathan Narvaez put up a strong fight on Hautacam.
Their hard work paid off as Narvaez set up Primož Pogacar’s attack, which saw the Slovenian rider ride away from competitors, including Jonas Vingegaard. Pogacar increased his gap to win the stage by 2:10 minutes over Vingegaard and Florian Lipowitz.
Pogacar’s performance was impressive, with a power output of 6.74 ᵉW/Kg for 35:11 min. This puts him in line with Bjarne Riis’ 1996 time on Hautacam but 30 seconds slower than his personal best. Despite a hard crash yesterday and challenging conditions, Pogacar delivered an average performance compared to previous stages.
Vingegaard struggled under the heat, blowing up at a power output of 6.29 ᵉW/Kg. Florian Lipowitz and Jonas Vingegaard’s teammate on stage 10 finished second, losing only 13 seconds to the Dane. As for Pogacar’s opponents, Remco Evenepoel lost significant time despite dropping early, highlighting the heat’s impact on performances.
The victory solidifies Pogacar’s lead in the general classification. The competition remains fierce, with various riders showcasing their endurance and talent.
Source: https://lanternerouge.com/2025/07/17/pogacar-destroys-gc-riders-on-hautacam-tour-de-france-2025-stage-12