Samwise Cycle Racing Newsletter
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Pogačar Launches 72km Solo Raid to Dominate Tour de Suisse Opener
Tadej Pogačar launched a stunning 72-kilometre solo attack on the opening stage of the Tour de Suisse on Wednesday, seizing the yellow jersey with a display that sent a warning ahead of the July Tour de France. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG world champion accelerated away from the peloton on the final climb, soloing to the finish in Savognin 2 minutes 14 seconds clear of Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost). Andrea Bagioli (Lidl-Trek) placed third at 2:29. The victory is the 118th of Pogačar’s career and his tenth win from just 12 race days in 2026. The five-stage Swiss race runs through June 21.
Sources: Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly
De Vries Claims First Pro Victory in Tour de Suisse Women Stage 1
Visma-Lease a Bike’s Femke de Vries claimed the first professional victory of her career on stage 1 of the Tour de Suisse Women on Wednesday, outsprinting Lauren Dickson (FDJ United-Suez) after a 40-kilometre breakaway in Sondrio, Italy. De Vries and Dickson escaped the GC favourites on the 109.3-kilometre opening stage through the Valtellina valley, with Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) solo in third at 35 seconds. Race favourite Demi Vollering is absent this week, leaving a wide-open GC battle. De Vries now leads the general classification by four seconds over Dickson as the five-day race continues through June 21.
Sources: Cycling Weekly, Cyclingnews
Wout van Aert Ruled Out of Tour de France After Elbow Infection
Wout van Aert will not start the 2026 Tour de France after Visma-Lease a Bike confirmed Wednesday that an infection in an elbow wound has ended his preparations. Van Aert crashed on a training ride before the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, subsequently leaving that race before stage 6. An infection then developed in the wound, requiring a hospital visit in Herentals. With the Tour de France starting July 4 in Barcelona, Visma medical staff determined he cannot reach required form in time. His next target is the Vuelta a España in August. The team will announce his replacement on June 23, leaving Jonas Vingegaard to lead without his key support rider.
Sources: Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly
Tom Pidcock Scraps Tour de Suisse After Viral Infection at Altitude Camp
Tom Pidcock has been forced to abandon his Tour de Suisse plans after contracting a mild viral infection during an altitude camp at Sierra Nevada, his Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team confirmed on Tuesday. The British climber missed several training days at the camp and the team removed the Tour de Suisse from his programme as a precaution. Pidcock’s Tour de France preparation now shifts to the Andorra MoraBanc Clàssica on June 21. The scratching is a setback for his final lead-in work before the July Grand Tour, where Pidcock has named the yellow jersey as his primary 2026 goal following his absence from the race in 2024.
Sources: Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly
Junior Cyclist Shane O’Brien, 16, Dies in Training Accident in Ireland
Irish junior cyclist Shane O’Brien, 16, died in a training accident in Ireland on Tuesday, his team CAMS-Majaco announced on Wednesday. O’Brien, a County Cork native and first-year junior on the British development squad linked to WorldTour team Netcompany-Ineos, last raced at the Côte d’Or Classic Juniors in France on June 7. Team management described him as “a talented rider who had a bright future ahead of him.” His brother Liam O’Brien, a Lidl-Trek Future rider competing in the Giro d’Italia Next Gen, withdrew from that race to fly home following the news. Tributes have poured in from across the pro peloton.
Sources: Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly
Pogačar’s Opening Salvo Leaves Tour de Suisse GC Rivals in Tatters
The 89th Tour de Suisse (June 17–21) opened Wednesday as a five-stage format designed to attract Tour de France contenders for their final pre-July tune-up. Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) entered seeking to complete the set of all seven major one-week stage race wins at his Tour de Suisse debut. However, Pogačar’s 72-kilometre opening-stage solo raid leaves Roglič already more than four minutes down in the GC. Richard Carapaz and Andrea Bagioli trail in second and third. With Tom Pidcock withdrawn due to illness and Mathieu van der Poel absent entirely, the race appears already Pogačar’s to lose before the July 4 Grand Départ in Barcelona.
Sources: Cyclingnews
Breakaway Outwits Tour de Suisse Women GC Favourites on Opening Stage
A tactical coup by two riders from an opportunistic 40-kilometre breakaway denied the GC favourites their expected sprint showdown on stage 1 of the Tour de Suisse Women in Sondrio, Wednesday. Femke de Vries and Lauren Dickson rode clear in scorching heat while the peloton’s top contenders missed the key move. Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) launched a solo effort in the final kilometres to finish third, best of the chasing GC group at 35 seconds. Kim Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal) led the remaining bunch at 48 seconds. Key challengers now face a significant deficit over the four remaining stages through June 21.
Sources: Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly
Tour de Suisse GC — Men
After Stage 1 of 5
1. Pogačar (UAE) — 3:28:51
2. Carapaz (EF) — +2:14
3. Bagioli (LTK) — +2:29
4. Van Wilder (SOQ) — +4:02
5. Vacek (LTK) — s.t.
Tour de Suisse GC — Women
After Stage 1 of 5
1. de Vries (VLB) — 2:56:13
2. Dickson (FDJ) — +0:04
3. Kerbaol (EF) — +0:35
4. Le Court (AGI) — +0:48
5. Van Dam (VLB) — s.t.
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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