Tadej Pogacar targets historic fifth Tour de France title in 2026
Tadej Pogacar will begin his quest for a historic record-equalling fifth Tour de France title when the 113th edition gets underway in Barcelona on Saturday.
The world’s leading cyclist arrives at the start line sporting a bleached haircut that has drawn widespread comparisons to American rapper Eminem.
Victory in Paris on 26 July would elevate the 27-year-old alongside legendary five-time champions Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx, Jacques Anquetil and Miguel Indurain.
The gruelling 21-stage route will test the peloton with punishing mountain ascents and high-speed Alpine descents before culminating in the traditional sprint finish.
Vingegaard and rivals pose major threat
The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider enters the race as the clear favourite after dominating the Tour de Suisse in June.
However, long-time rival Jonas Vingegaard presents a formidable challenge in the battle for the general classification.
The Danish superstar is targeting his third overall yellow jersey following a commanding triumph in the Giro d’Italia.
Mexican prospect Isaac del Toro provides elite support for the pre-race favourite and could even challenge for a podium place himself.
British hopes rest on Pidcock
Seven British riders will take the start line, with Tom Pidcock leading the debutant Pinarello-Q36.5 team.
The Leeds-born cyclist finished third overall at the 2025 Vuelta a Espana and holds strong ambitions for a top-10 overall finish.
French fans will look towards 19-year-old debutant Paul Seixas to end their nation’s decades-long wait for a home champion.
Belgian contender Remco Evenepoel completes a star-studded list of elite hopefuls aiming to disrupt the pre-race predictions.