Pogačar powers to time trial victory at Tour de Suisse

Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) stormed to victory in the Stage 4 individual time trial of the Tour de Suisse 2026, showcasing his formidable power against the clock to extend his overall lead.

He edged out a flying Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) by a single second on the technical course. Former world time trial champion Tobias Foss (Netcompany INEOS Cycling Team) rounded out the podium in third, seven seconds off the winning pace.

The victory puts significant time into Pogačar's general classification rivals, creating a larger buffer for the Slovenian ahead of the upcoming mountain stages.

Stage 4 was an intense individual time trial that was always going to reshape the general classification. The short course demanded maximum effort throughout, with no room for pacing errors.

Early benchmarks were set by the powerful rouleurs, with Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) putting in a strong ride to set a time that held for much of the day. His effort was eventually good enough for fourth place.

As the final riders began, Mathieu van der Poel set a blistering new benchmark, with former world champion Tobias Foss also delivering a top ride to slot in just behind him. But last off the ramp, race leader Tadej Pogačar was fastest at the intermediate checkpoints and flew through the final kilometres, crossing the line just one second faster than Van der Poel to snatch the stage win.

• Pogačar's victory was a dominant statement. He beat specialists at their own game to extend his overall lead, demonstrating he is in a class of his own at this Tour de Suisse 2026.
• Van der Poel's second place, just one second behind, is a testament to his incredible versatility. It's a huge performance for the world road race champion in a discipline he doesn't specialise in.
• Significant time gaps have reshaped the GC battle. Primož Roglič and Antonio Tiberi lost 38 and 47 seconds respectively, putting them on the back foot ahead of the high mountains.
• The collective strength of UAE Team Emirates-XRG was on full display, with four riders inside the top ten. This depth gives Pogačar an unrivalled support squad to defend his lead in the coming days.
• A podium for Foss is a significant result for the former world champion. It signals a return to the top level of time trialling and a major confidence boost for the Netcompany INEOS Cycling Team rider.