Pogačar unstoppable on Passo San Pellegrino to win stage 5

Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) demonstrated his commanding form, attacking on the final climb to win stage 5 of the Tour de Suisse 2026 solo. The Slovenian launched his move on the slopes of the Passo San Pellegrino and held off a tenacious chase to secure the victory.

Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious) produced a stunning ride to finish just seven seconds behind Pogačar, emerging as his closest rival on the day. Bart Lemmen (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) rounded out the podium, crossing the line 1:33 in arrears.

The stage proved disastrous for several general classification contenders, most notably Primož Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe). He lost contact on the final climb and finished 3:09 down, seeing his overall ambitions take a significant blow.

The 150 km queen stage culminated in the summit finish on the Passo San Pellegrino. An early breakaway of five riders, including Tobias Bayer (Alpecin-Premier Tech) and Yevgeniy Fedorov (XDS Astana Team), built a small lead, but UAE Team Emirates-XRG kept them on a tight leash.

The race ignited on the slopes of the Col de la Croix, where attacks from Alexey Lutsenko (NSN Cycling Team) and Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team) stretched the main group. On the final climb, UAE's Felix Großschartner set a blistering tempo that shattered the peloton, perfectly setting up his leader.

With 6 km to go, Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) attacked, but Pogačar responded with ease before launching a devastating counter of his own. He quickly distanced all rivals and powered past the breakaway's remnants to win solo. Behind him, Lenny Martinez mounted an impressive chase to secure second place, as other GC hopefuls were scattered across the mountain.

• Tadej Pogačar's performance was a statement of intent. He calmly countered a strong attack from Carapaz before launching his own winning move, showing he is in a class of his own.
• Lenny Martinez was the revelation of the day. Finishing just seven seconds behind an on-form Pogačar on a major mountain stage marks him as a genuine podium contender and a star of the future.
• It was a day to forget for Primož Roglič. Losing over three minutes on the final climb effectively ends his challenge for the overall victory, having been left isolated when the pace ramped up.
• The GC battle has been reshaped. Behind Pogačar and the surprising Martinez, riders like Enric Mas, Matthew Riccitello, and Jarno Widar are now in a tight race for the final podium spot, having lost almost two minutes.
• UAE Team Emirates-XRG executed a tactical masterclass. They controlled the stage, set a punishing pace on the final climb, and delivered Pogačar in the perfect position to launch his attack.