Samwise Cycle Racing Newsletter
Sunday, June 21, 2026
Pogačar Edges Van der Poel by Hundredths in Tour de Suisse Time Trial Thriller
World champion Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) denied Mathieu van der Poel a stage win by just 0.04 of a second in the Stage 4 individual time trial at Aarburg on Saturday, completing the 23.7 km course in 26:37.99 at an average 53.4 kph. Tobias Foss (Ineos Grenadiers) finished third, six seconds back. Pogačar, making his Tour de Suisse debut, extended his overall lead to 4 minutes 22 seconds over Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost), with Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) third at 4:27. The Slovenian enters Sunday’s queen stage in Villars-sur-Ollon with an insurmountable advantage as he fine-tunes preparation ahead of the July 4 Tour de France.
Source: Cyclingnews
World Champion Reusser Takes Tour de Suisse Women Lead with Commanding Time Trial
Marlen Reusser (Movistar), the reigning world time trial champion, rode a dominant Stage 4 individual time trial at Aarburg on Saturday to win the stage and seize the overall lead at the Tour de Suisse Women. Reusser completed the 23.7 km course in 29:36, beating Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM) by 11 seconds. Previous race leader Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) finished in 30:41 and admitted time trialling was “a significant weakness” for her this season, ceding the jersey to Reusser by 10 seconds. With the five-stage race concluding Sunday, Reusser will defend a slender margin on the final mountain stage in Villars-sur-Ollon.
Source: Cyclingnews, Cyclingnews
Paula Blasi Dominates La Molina Queen Stage to Claim Volta a Catalunya Feminas Lead
Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ) delivered a commanding solo attack on the 130 km Stage 2 queen stage of the 5th Volta Ciclista a Catalunya Feminas on Saturday, conquering the climb to La Molina at 1,691 m to distance rivals and claim both the stage win and the race leader’s jersey. Racing on home roads in Catalonia, Blasi rode away from the lead group on the final ascent from Sant Vicenç de Castellet to take a domineering solo victory. The result moves the Spanish rider into the general classification lead and marks a significant statement of intent from UAE Team ADQ ahead of Sunday’s final stage.
Source: Cyclingnews
Elphingstone and Ryan Claim Criterium Titles at US Pro Road Nationals in Charleston
Luke Elphingstone (Project Echelon Racing) claimed the men’s elite criterium national title at the USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships in Charleston, West Virginia on Saturday, as an early breakaway held to the finish ahead of Brody McDonald and Gavin Hlady. In the women’s event, Kendall Ryan successfully defended her criterium crown despite a late-race crash that reduced the field, securing back-to-back national titles. Earlier in the championships, Taylor Knibb claimed the elite women’s time trial title and Artem Shmidt defended the men’s TT crown. The elite road race titles, the premier events of the championships, are scheduled for Sunday.
Source: Cyclingnews, Cyclingnews
Tour de France Boosts Sprint Points in Bid to Keep Green Jersey Out of Pogačar’s Hands
With the Tour de France starting in Barcelona on July 4, organisers have further adjusted the green jersey points system to reduce the risk of Tadej Pogačar collecting a fourth different classification jersey. Sprint stages will now award a winner’s maximum of 70 points — up from 50 previously — with second and third place also receiving more points than before. The change follows Pogačar coming within 78 points of Jonathan Milan’s (Lidl-Trek) green jersey at the 2025 Tour, having briefly led the classification mid-race after winning atop the Mûr-de-Bretagne. ASO intends the revision to keep the points competition firmly in sprinter hands.
Source: Cyclingnews
Today’s Race Status — Final stages racing today
Tour de Suisse Men — GC after Stage 4
1. Pogačar (UAE) — Leader
2. Carapaz (EFE) — +4:22
3. Vacek (LTK) — +4:27
Tour de Suisse Women — GC after Stage 4
1. Reusser (MOV) — Leader
2. Longo Borghini (ADQ) — +0:10
3. Bäckstedt (CSR) — approx +1:00
Coming Up: Tour de France
📅 Starts July 4 in Barcelona
21 stages — 3,338 km
Green jersey points revised (see story 5)
Curated by JD · samwise.agency