Tour de France dominated by elite riders as competition intensifies

National champion Romain Gregoire said the Tour de France has become a realm for "international super‑stars" with little room for other cyclists. He noted the race’s scorching heat and relentless pace make it exceptionally demanding.

After the recent rest day, the general‑classification lead is held by Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, with Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard in second place. Other stage winners include Belgium’s Tim Merlier, Spain’s Isaac del Toro, Denmark’s Mads Pedersen, the Netherlands’ Olav Kooij and France’s Mathieu van der Poel.

Pogacar rides for UAE Team Emirates and has won the overall title in 2020, 2021, 2024 and 2025, while Vingegaard’s victories came in 2022 and 2023. Gregoire highlighted the large budget gaps between top teams as a factor reinforcing the dominance of a few elite riders.