Stage five of the 2026 Tour de France, a 158.3km route from Lannemezan to Pau, is set to conclude with a bunch sprint as the peloton enjoys a flat day after the gruelling heat of stage four. With only one categorised climb, the Côte de Baleix (category three) inside the final 30km, the stage offers a clear opportunity for sprinters to contest the finish.
Stage Profile and Key Contenders
The stage begins with a mostly downhill first 20km, followed by a flat run into Pau, which has hosted 64 stage finishes and is the third most visited city in Tour history after Paris and Bordeaux. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin–Premier Tech) won in Pau two years ago and is among the favourites. Other contenders include Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Tim Merlier (Soudal–Quick-Step), Olav Kooij (Decathlon-CMA CGM), and Biniam Girmay (NSN). Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin–Premier Tech) is also a potential threat.
Early Action: Veistroffer's Solo Break
Baptiste Veistroffer (Lotto–Intermarché) launched a solo attack early, building a lead of over three minutes by 138km to go. However, the peloton, controlled by Uno-X Mobility, gradually reeled him in. By 30km to go, his lead had shrunk to 25 seconds, and he was caught before the final sprint. Veistroffer did claim the only categorised climb points, taking two King of the Mountains points, with Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost) taking the remaining point.
Intermediate Sprint and GC Standings
At the intermediate sprint (48km to go), Veistroffer took maximum points, with Max Kanter (XDS Astana) second, followed by Mads Pedersen, Biniam Girmay, and Jasper Philipsen. The general classification remains unchanged after stage four, with Torstein Træen (Uno-X Mobility) leading by 28 seconds over Sean Quinn (EF Education-EasyPost). Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard are both 7 minutes 53 seconds back, but are expected to conserve energy for later mountain stages.
Heat and Emergency Measures
The race continues to contend with a heatwave, with Météo-France retaining an orange weather warning. The UCI and ASO have implemented emergency measures, including softened provisions around feed zones, to help riders cope with temperatures that exceeded 40°C on stage four. Træen, after claiming yellow, said: "With this heat, you don’t know how the body is going to react." Teams remain vigilant about hydration, with ice packs inside lycra expected.
Stage Conclusion and Sprint Prediction
With the peloton together and sprint trains forming, the stage is set for a fast finish. Philipsen’s Alpecin–Premier Tech lead-out, featuring Mathieu van der Poel and Kaden Groves, is considered the strongest, but Merlier’s Soudal team are seasoned operators. The race is expected to conclude around 11:30 EDT, with the winner likely to come from the leading sprinters.
