Tour de France 2026: Pidcock climbs to fourth after stage 13

Britain's Tom Pidcock surged to fourth overall at the 2026 Tour de France after finishing third on stage 13 from Dole to Belfort, where Switzerland's Mauro Schmid took his first Tour stage victory. Pidcock gained more than seven minutes on the main peloton and moved to within seconds of the podium before a punishing run of mountain stages.

The Full Story

Stage 13 covered 205.8km between Dole and Belfort and became a rare day when a large breakaway was allowed enough freedom to reshape the general classification. Pidcock was among the key riders who forced their way clear as the race crossed the rolling roads towards the Ballon d'Alsace, a category-one climb measuring roughly nine kilometres at an average gradient of 6.9%.

The British rider attacked near the top of the climb and remained firmly involved in the fight for the stage. Mauro Schmid and Harold Tejada then escaped from the reduced front group on the descent with about 16km remaining. Schmid beat Tejada at the finish in 4hr 6min 58sec, while Pidcock led the chasing riders home just two seconds later in third.

The decisive difference for Pidcock came behind. The main group containing race leader Tadej Pogacar and fellow overall contenders finished more than seven minutes later, allowing Pidcock to jump six places in the standings. He moved from outside the immediate podium fight to fourth overall.

Pidcock said getting into the breakaway had been the objective, while also admitting he had wanted the stage victory. His move changed the shape of the race because riders who had previously held a comfortable advantage over him now face another contender close behind them as the Tour reaches its hardest mountain stages.

Central Figures

Tom Pidcock, riding for Pinarello-Q36.5, is now the leading British story in the overall classification. The 26-year-old has previously won a Tour stage on Alpe d'Huez and finished third overall in the previous year's Vuelta a Espana, but his 2026 Tour began unevenly after illness and included a crash on stage 10.

Mauro Schmid of Jayco-AlUla converted the breakaway into victory by escaping with Harold Tejada late in the stage and timing his final sprint correctly. At the top of the overall race, Tadej Pogacar retained the yellow jersey ahead of Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel.

Tom is a fighter and has really turned the race upside down and made it exciting. What he did today is pretty cool.

The Data

After stage 13, Pogacar led the Tour in 47hr 18min 31sec. Vingegaard was 3min 36sec behind, Evenepoel about 4min 6sec back and Pidcock approximately 4min 15sec behind the yellow jersey. That left Pidcock only around nine seconds from third place.

Pidcock gained roughly 7min 34sec on his principal general-classification rivals during the stage. He also sat ahead of Juan Ayuso, Paul Seixas and Florian Lipowitz, tightening a cluster of riders competing below Pogacar and Vingegaard.

General classification

The cumulative overall standings based on each rider's total race time.

Breakaway

A rider or group that escapes ahead of the main peloton during a stage.

Category-one climb

A highly demanding classified ascent, such as the Ballon d'Alsace used on stage 13.

What This Means

For British cycling followers, Pidcock's jump gives the final phase of the Tour a much sharper focus. His stage win was missed by only two seconds, but the greater consequence was his transformation from a rider hunting individual stages into someone sitting just outside the overall podium.

There is a trade-off. Rival team directors pointed out that the effort required to spend much of the day in the breakaway could carry a physical cost as the race moves immediately into tougher terrain. Pidcock's position also means rivals can no longer give him the same freedom in future escapes because another large gain could put him directly on the podium.

The development also complicates the tactical battle behind Pogacar. Several riders from different teams are now separated by relatively small margins, so attacks aimed at one rival may force responses from several others. Pidcock's ability to descend quickly and race aggressively gives him options, but the forthcoming climbs and individual time trial will test whether his new overall position can hold.

What to Expect

The Tour next moves into a demanding mountain block. Stage 14 is set to feature three category-one climbs in the Vosges, followed by another major mountain stage to the Plateau de Solaison. After the second rest day, a 26.1km individual time trial is scheduled for stage 16.

Pidcock's team has said success would combine a stage victory with a strong general-classification result. With the race also due to return to Alpe d'Huez for back-to-back stage finishes on 24 and 25 July, his position gives British fans several major days to watch before the Tour reaches Paris.