Tadej Pogačar's winning time sees 2026 Tour de France set new record for fastest-ever edition - Cyclingnews

What the report says

Cyclingnews reported that Tadej Pogačar’s winning time at the 2026 Tour de France set a new benchmark for the fastest edition in the race’s history. Pogačar, riding for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, completed the 3,197km race in 73:56:26, producing an average speed of 43.227km/h, according to timing data cited in the report. That surpassed the previous record average of 42.728km/h from the 2025 race.

The report places the performance in the context of Pogačar’s rapid rise at the Tour. In his 2020 debut, he won the race over a longer 3,482km route at an average speed of 39.868km/h. Cyclingnews noted that the 2026 Tour also included a separate speed milestone, with stage 11 from Vichy to Nevers averaging 50.9km/h over 161.3km, breaking a mark associated with Mario Cipollini’s 1999 stage record.

Pogačar’s latest title made him a five-time Tour de France winner, joining Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain in that group. Cyclingnews reported that he also became the youngest rider to reach five Tour victories, moving ahead of Merckx on that measure, and extended his run of Tour podium finishes to seven consecutive editions.

The final stage in Paris was won by Mathieu van der Poel of Alpecin-Premier Tech after action that included the Butte Montmartre climb. Pogačar did not win on the Champs-Élysées, missing a chance to become the first yellow jersey wearer to win in Paris since Hinault in 1982, but he finished 6:26 ahead of Remco Evenepoel overall. Cyclingnews also noted that his five stage wins in the 2026 race took his Tour stage total to 26.