Tadej Pogačar smashes 30-year-old Alpe d'Huez climbing record set by Marco Pantani

Key Points:

• Tadej Pogačar of UAE Team Emirates-XRG set a new climbing record for Alpe d'Huez on stage 19 of the 2026 Tour de France, completing the ascent in an estimated 35:26, over a minute faster than Marco Pantani's 1995 record of 36:40.
• Pogačar caught and passed the breakaway riders during the climb, ultimately winning the stage atop the legendary hors catégorie climb, which measures approximately 13.8 km with an average gradient around 8.1-8.8%.
• Despite not knowing Pantani's exact record time, Pogačar expressed happiness about breaking a 30-year-old record and credited his team's efforts despite some illness within UAE Team Emirates-XRG.
• Pogačar's decisive acceleration on the lower slopes allowed him to overtake notable riders including Richard Carapaz, Sepp Kuss, and Lenny Martinez, securing a solo victory in front of large crowds on the famous hairpin bends.
• The achievement was widely celebrated, with fellow rider Paul Seixas calling Pogačar "insane" after his record-breaking performance.