Tour de France 2026: Pogacar Wins Stage 3 at Les Angles to Seize Yellow Jersey
Tadej Pogacar landed the first major blow of the 2026 Tour de France, powering clear on the final section of the climb to Les Angles to win Stage 3 in the Pyrenees and take the yellow jersey from Jonas Vingegaard. In a race that already has the feel of a two-man duel, the reigning champion drew first blood, even if the general classification could hardly be tighter.
How the Stage Unfolded
With the Pyrenees delivering the first real mountain test of this year’s race, the day came down to the usual protagonists. Pogacar’s UAE team set a punishing tempo, with Mexican teammate Isaac del Toro producing a strong lead-out on the final 1.7km of climbing before the world champion accelerated away. Vingegaard dug in to limit the damage, crossing the line just two seconds down, but it was Pogacar who took the stage and the bonus seconds that came with it.
General Classification
| Position | Rider | Gap |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Tadej Pogacar | 8:46:55 |
| 2nd | Jonas Vingegaard | same time |
| 3rd | Remco Evenepoel | +23s |
| 4th | Isaac del Toro | +24s |
| 5th | Juan Ayuso | +27s |
Remarkably, Pogacar and Vingegaard are locked on exactly the same time at 8:46:55, with Pogacar leading on countback after collecting 10 bonus seconds for the stage win to Vingegaard’s six. Alex Baudin took possession of the polka-dot king-of-the-mountains jersey.
Key Talking Points
Three stages in, this Tour is already shaping into the anticipated showdown between Pogacar and Vingegaard, with barely a wheel’s width between them. That the yellow jersey is being decided on bonus seconds and countback tells its own story of how finely balanced the fight is. Behind them, Evenepoel remains firmly in contention, and the presence of del Toro and Ayuso high on the standings underlines the strength in depth of the leading teams.
What’s Next
With the mountains only just beginning to bite, there is a long road ahead and plenty more skirmishing to come between the two favourites. Prime Hunt Daily will follow every stage of the 2026 Tour de France with results, standings and analysis.