Hugo Houle wins a dramatic Pyrenees stage as Canada adds to Tour history
In a high-stakes Chapter sixteen of the Tour de France, Canadian rider Hugo Houle claimed a memorable victory on the stage stretching from Carcassonne to Foix. The 178.5-kilometer route through the Pyrenees featured relentless attacks and tactical moves, with Houle managing to neutralize several efforts from rivals as the field pressed toward the final climbs. The day highlighted Houle’s ability to stay steady under pressure while the race unfolded at a breakneck pace and showcased the enduring strength of the Canada cycling program on one of cycling’s grandest stages. de France results and live coverage.
Houle’s triumph marked the second time a Canadian rider has prevailed in Tour de France history, underscoring the country’s growing impact on the sport. He crossed the line with a margin of 1 minute and 10 seconds over the closest challenger, a fellow French rider, as the depleted peloton slogged through the last meters of the day. The victory added another chapter to Canada’s evolving narrative within the event, reinforcing the presence of Canadian teams and athletes at the pinnacle of professional road racing. de France results and live coverage.
In the general classification, the defending yellow jersey holder Jonas Vingegaard extended his lead to 2 minutes and 22 seconds ahead of the peloton heading into the final Pyrenean tests. The day also tested Tadej Pogacar, the Slovenian standout from UAE Team Emirates, who repeatedly tried to break away and disrupt the rhythm of the front group near Port de Lers, the penultimate climb of the stage, but failed to gain a decisive advantage. He eventually arrived at the time cutoff with the main field, keeping his chances alive as the race moved forward. de France results and live coverage.
Another climber, Enric Mas, made a bid to escape from the chase group during the second-to-last ascent but could not sustain the pace on the final climb and finished well behind the stage winner, by a margin of over eight minutes. The day reinforced the demands of the Pyrenean terrain and the importance of strategic positioning in the late-race phases, as wind and gradient reshaped the dynamic of the breakaway and the GC contenders alike. de France results and live coverage.