Samwise Cycle Racing Newsletter
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Evenepoel Claims Back-to-Back Stage Wins with Belgian National Day TT Masterclass
Remco Evenepoel claimed his second consecutive Tour de France stage victory on Belgium’s national holiday, winning the 26.1 km stage 16 individual time trial from Évian-les-Bains to Thonon-les-Bains in 32:19. The Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe rider beat Tade̍j Pogačar by 28 seconds, with Tobias Skjelmose third at 1:04 back. Evenepoel rode a yet-to-be-released Specialized Shiv TT prototype and called the win “pretty special” on Belgium’s national day, noting he had read that morning it had been a while since a Belgian won a Tour stage on July 21. He enters the mountain stages trailing Pogačar by 4:32 in the general classification.
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GC After Stage 16: Pogačar Commands 4:32, Seixas Lurks 20 Seconds from Podium
Tade̍j Pogačar holds a 4-minute 32-second advantage over Remco Evenepoel in the 2026 Tour de France general classification following the stage 16 time trial. The podium race is fiercely compressed: Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) sits third at 6:51, with French teenager Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM) in fourth at 7:11—just 20 seconds separating the pair. Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) is fifth at 9:22, Tobias Skjelmose sixth at 10:14, Lukas Martinez seventh at 12:50, and Tom Pidcock eighth at 12:58. Every second will matter in the final mountain stages as rivals hunt down a condensed battle for the remaining podium places.
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Lipowitz Stretchered Off After Stage 16 TT Crash, Abandons Tour with Broken Collarbone
Florian Lipowitz suffered a race-ending crash during the stage 16 individual time trial, abandoning the 2026 Tour de France with a broken collarbone. The Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe rider, who had been fifth in the general classification, went down at high speed on a technical corner, struck his head, and was removed from the road on a stretcher. The crash cast a shadow over what had been a celebratory afternoon for his team—Remco Evenepoel had just won the stage on the same course. Lipowitz will require surgery, ending a standout Grand Tour campaign for the German climber.
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‘A Bizarre Situation’: Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe Rides Wave of Triumph and Grief on Stage 16
Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe’s stage 16 at the Tour de France swung between elation and anguish within hours. Remco Evenepoel’s commanding time-trial victory—his second consecutive stage win—was shadowed by news that teammate Florian Lipowitz had crashed heavily on the same course and been stretchered off. The team described the day as “a bizarre situation,” with celebration and concern unfolding simultaneously. Evenepoel heads into the final week as Pogačar’s closest GC rival at 4:32, while the squad must regroup without the fifth-placed climber they had also built significant hopes around for the race’s mountain finale.
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Seixas Survives Stage 16 TT Descent to Remain in Striking Distance of Tour de France Podium
Nineteen-year-old Paul Seixas navigated the stage 16 time trial safely to hold fourth in the Tour de France general classification, just 20 seconds behind Isaac del Toro in third. The Decathlon CMA CGM rider is already the youngest starter at the Tour in 89 years and is riding the longest race of his career. With the peloton heading into the final mountain stages, the French teenager—who started stage 16 trailing del Toro by just 25 seconds—dropped fractionally further back in the TT, but remains very much in contention for a historic podium finish on his Grand Tour debut.
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Two Riders Struck by Cars on Stage 16 Day as Safety Concerns Mount at the Tour
Stage 16 of the 2026 Tour de France was marred by two separate vehicle-collision incidents. UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s Brandon McNulty was knocked by a car during his reconnaissance of the time-trial course but recovered and competed in the stage. More alarming was the post-race incident involving Wanty’s Xandro Meurisse, who was struck from behind by a car driver after completing his effort, leaving his bike destroyed and requiring police attendance at the scene. Both incidents highlighted ongoing safety concerns around vehicle management at UCI WorldTour events, an issue that has drawn growing scrutiny throughout the 2026 season.
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Ayuso Admits ‘I’ve Missed Twice’ After Second TT Setback Dents Tour de France Podium Bid
Juan Ayuso made no effort to hide his frustration after a second disappointing time-trial performance at the 2026 Tour de France, telling reporters: “You can’t miss if you want to get on the podium, and I’ve missed twice.” The Lidl-Trek leader sits fifth overall at 9:22 behind Pogačar following stage 16, his GC ambitions now dependent on significantly outperforming his rivals on the remaining mountain stages. Ayuso entered the race as one of the pre-race favourites for a podium position, but back-to-back TT underperformances have left him needing a major offensive effort in the days ahead to overhaul the riders ahead of him.
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General Classification — After Stage 16
GC Top 8
1. Pogačar (UAE) — Leader
2. Evenepoel (Red Bull) — +4:32
3. Del Toro (UAE) — +6:51
4. Seixas (Decathlon) — +7:11
5. Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) — +9:22
6. Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) — +10:14
7. L. Martinez (Bahrain) — +12:50
8. Pidcock (Ineos) — +12:58
Classification Leaders
Jersey Holders
🟡 Yellow (GC): Tade̍j Pogačar
🟢 Green (Points): Mads Pedersen
⚪ White (Best Young Rider): Isaac del Toro
Stage 16 Result
🏆 Winner: Remco Evenepoel
32:19 · ITT Thonon-les-Bains · 26.1 km
Curated by JD · samwise.agency