Bahrain Victorious chases Tom Pidcock to curb his time gain in Tour de France Stage 13

During stage 13 of the 2026 Tour de France, a breakaway containing Tom Pidcock built an eight‑minute lead as the race approached the Ballon d'Alsace climb. Bahrain‑Victorious sports director Enrico Gasparotto said the team increased the pace to avoid letting Pidcock gain "12 or 13 minutes," which would threaten their own general‑classification hopes.

Gasparotto explained that the chase attracted help from rival squads Bora and Trek, and that Bahrain‑Victorious shifted to a backup plan to protect their GC rider Lenny Martinez, who was ninth overall before the stage. The effort reduced Pidcock's advantage to about seven and a half minutes, leaving Martinez 2:19 behind in the overall standings.

The incident illustrates the tactical collaboration and rivalry among teams vying for position in the race’s mountain stages.