Tadej Pogacar won Stage 19 of the Tour de France on Friday after a solo attack up the Alpe d'Huez climb [1, 2].
The victory cements Pogacar's dominance in the 2026 race and rewrites the history books for one of cycling's most iconic climbs. By breaking a decades-old record, the Slovenian rider has further distanced himself from his rivals in the overall standings [1, 4].
Pogacar completed the ascent in 35:27 [3]. This time surpasses the previous record of 36:50, which was set by Marco Pantani in 1995 [3]. The performance occurred during the 19th stage of the competition on July 24, 2026 [1, 2].
The four-time Tour de France champion utilized a powerful solo attack to distance the field [1]. This surge allowed him to secure the stage win and extend his overall lead in the general classification [4].
Despite the historical significance of the time, Pogacar said he was not focused on the previous mark. "I had no knowledge of Marco Pantani's Alpe d'Huez record," Pogacar said [3].
Observers described the effort as an extraordinary display of climbing speed. Paul Seixas said, "He was insane" [Yahoo Sports].
“Tadej Pogacar completed the ascent in 35:27”
Pogacar's ability to break a record that stood for 31 years indicates a shift in the physiological limits of professional climbing. By eclipsing Pantani's 1995 mark, Pogacar has not only secured a tactical advantage in the current race but has established a new benchmark for performance on Alpe d'Huez, potentially altering how future riders approach the climb.
