Race preview for Stage 5 of Tour de France 2025: Time trial in Caen will intensify General Classification battle among Pogacar, Vingegaard, and Evenepoel
The 2025 Tour de France is shaping up to be an exciting competition, with Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogacar leading the charge in the General Classification (GC).
In the first individual time trial (ITT) on Stage 5, held around Caen, Evenepoel demonstrated his prowess as a time trial specialist, winning the stage with a commanding performance. Pogacar, another formidable contender, finished second, just 16 seconds behind, taking the overall lead and donning the yellow jersey.
Evenepoel, as the reigning world ITT champion and winner of the first ITT stage, is a favourite to win such stages. Pogacar, a multiple Tour winner with strong ITT capabilities, consistently places near the top. His lead after Stage 5 and his strong performance in ITTs suggest he is the favourite to maintain or extend the overall lead.
Jonas Vingegaard trails in the overall standings but struggled somewhat in the initial ITT, finishing 13th and 1 minute 13 seconds behind the leader. Kevin Vauquelin also performed well and holds third place after Stage 5. Mathieu Van der Poel, another contender, dropped to 6th overall following the ITT, indicating a relative weakness in this discipline compared to Evenepoel and Pogacar.
The Stage 5 ITT checks are at Cambes-en-Plaine (km. 8.2), Thaon (km. 16.4), and Gruchy (km. 24.8). Evenepoel needs to make up a 58-second deficit to overtake both Pogacar and Vingegaard and move into the yellow jersey.
Pogacar plans to give his full gas effort for the entire 33 kilometres of Stage 5 and see where he ends up. Jonas Vingegaard, a strong time triallist, also seems to bring his best at the Tour's races against the clock.
The Stage 5 ITT is the first of two races of truth in the Tour de France. Mathieu van der Poel, who is currently in yellow, expects to lose the jersey in Stage 5 as he will start last and on the same GC time as Pogacar. Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, and Remco Evenepoel are the main favourites for the Tour de France.
UAE sports director Andrej Hauptman has stated that the team is unconcerned by what happened in June and believes a good performance in Stage 5 will remove any history. The stage has appeared 35 times in the race since 1905, but not since 2006. The Tour de France Stage 5 is a time trial starting and finishing in Caen, Normandy.
Remco Evenepoel, the world and Olympic ITT champion, is expected to bounce back on Stage 5. Pogacar arrives as the unknown TT quantity, with his overall form looking as infallible as ever, but the Dauphineé time trial was the only place where he has shown weakness nearly all season.
Pogacar does not check the GC now, but is aware that Stage 5 is a real test for everyone. Mathieu van der Poel stated that Pogacar wants to show he is ready for a good time trial in Stage 5. Andrej Hauptman mentioned that Pogacar was fourth in the Dauphineé time trial.
The route of the stage is relatively straightforward, heading northwest out to Colomby-Anguerny and back to the city centre. The team has done everything necessary to be ready for the time trial. Pogacar expects a bounce back from TT world and Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel on Stage 5.
In conclusion, the Stage 5 ITT promises to be an exciting battle between Evenepoel and Pogacar for the yellow jersey. With both riders showing strong ITT capabilities, the race is sure to be a thrilling spectacle.
Sports enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating the Time Trial (TT) stage of the 2025 Tour de France, particularly the individual competition on Stage 5. Remco Evenepoel, as the reigning world TT champion, aims to bounce back strongly in this stage, while Tadej Pogacar, a multiple Tour winner, showcases his formidable TT capabilities. With Evenepoel looking to make up a 58-second deficit and Pogacar planning to give his best, this TT stage promises an exhilarating battle for the overall lead and the yellow jersey.