Pidcock up to fourth as Schmid wins Tour breakaway
Britain's Tom Pidcock moved up to fourth overall in the Tour de France after finishing third on stage 13, a demanding 205.8km stage from Dole to Belfort won by Switzerland's Mauro Schmid out of a breakaway group. Schmid, riding for Jayco-Alula, edged Colombia's Harold Tejada on the line after the pair broke clear of the larger breakaway on a long descent, while Pidcock led home six other riders just two seconds behind. The result marks a significant lift for Pidcock, who gained six places in the general classification and has re-emerged as a genuine factor in this year's race after a difficult build-up.
Pidcock, 26, riding for Pinarello-Q36.5, now sits four minutes 15 seconds behind race leader Tadej Pogacar, who had a quiet day in the peloton along with fellow overall contenders Jonas Vingegaard (three minutes 36 seconds back) and Remco Evenepoel (four minutes six seconds back). Pogacar is chasing a fifth Tour title, which would put him level with Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain, while Mads Pedersen retains the green jersey, 41 points ahead of Jasper Philipsen. Pidcock's team manager Doug Ryder praised the effort as a turning point after the rider's struggles with illness before the Tour, following his last major win on Alpe d'Huez four years ago.
In short
- Mauro Schmid wins Tour de France stage 13 from a breakaway
- Tom Pidcock finishes third, rises to fourth overall
- Pogacar leads by over four minutes, chasing record fifth title
Explained simply
The Tour de France is cycling's most prestigious race, held annually and contested by the world's top teams over three weeks. Tom Pidcock is a 26-year-old British cyclist who has yet to achieve major victories in grand tours, the sport's three most important and longest stage races.
Pidcock's preparation for this year's Tour was disrupted by illness. His last major win came four years ago on Alpe d'Huez, one of the Tour's most famous mountain climbs.
The race is currently led by Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogacar, who is aiming for a fifth Tour title to join the sport's greatest champions. Pidcock's stronger position in the overall standings could indicate he is recovering form after his illness-affected preparation.