Honours for Sunday’s first road stage of the 113th Tour de France and second day in Spain were fought over in the streets of Barcelona, where Tadej Pogačar guided Isaac del Toro to the line for the Mexican’s first career Tour victory. It was Mexico’s first Tour stage win since Raúl Alcalá in 1990. In coming second, Pogačar cut Jonas Vingegaard’s lead to six seconds. Derek Gee-West was 45th.
The GC Situation
After the team time trial, Vingegaard wore yellow with Pogačar 11 seconds back. Juan Ayuso, Remco Evenepoel, del Toro and Paul Seixas were all within 39 seconds of the Dane.
Sunday’s Catalan Course
The second day in Spain covered 168 km from Tarragona to Barcelona. In the final 30 km riders face three circuits, each centered around short but steep Cat. 3 Côte du Château de Montjuïc, with the final cresting 1.8 km from the finish line in Barcelona. It was another scorcher.
While the day’s breakaway was trying to gel, there was an early crash, with XDS-Astana involved again.
The escape was a trio. It wasn’t allowed more than a 3:30 gap. The first intermediate sprint of the 2026 edition came in Viladecans. The fugitives were the first three to score points, and from the field Biniam Girmay was the fastest.
The first categorized climb of the 113rd edition was Cat. 2 Côte de Begues, where Alex Molenaar scored maximum KOM points. Del Toro suddenly had a big problem, as a mechanical left him lagging by over 1:30. With del Toro returned–Seixas had an even longer effort to get back after a flat–the break’s adventure came to an end before the Barcelona circuits.
Montjuïc and the Barcelona Circuits
There were no attacks on Montjuïc I, but UAE-Emirates whipped along the bunch, Pogačar in Position 2 and Vingegaard on his wheel.
Quentin Pacher of Groupama-FDJ got a Colombian flag caught in his gears.
On Montjuïc II the world champion held his fire as his team streamlined the peloton. Montjuïc III saw Seixas’ teammate Tiesj Benoot lead onto the slopes. An attack from Tobias Halland Johannessen came too late over the top.
Twelve chaps were left. Mattias Skjelmose made a dig. Then del Toro took up the cause, with Pogačar cheering him and shepherding the Mexican to the line. Del Toro moved up two spot on GC to fourth.
Monday’s last day in Spain actually ends in France on the Cat. 3 Les Angles climb, 1.7 km of 6.7 percent. However, wildfire hazards and dangerous temperatures in the Pyrenees-Orientales and Occitanie regions threaten Stages 3 and 4.
113th Tour de France, Stage 2
1) Isaac del Toro (Mexico/UAE-Emirates) 3:40:01
2) Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia/UAE-Emirates) s.t.
3) Remco Evenepoel (Belgium/Red Bull) s.t.
45) Derek Gee-West (Canada/Lidl-Trek) +5:31
113th Tour de France GC
1) Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark/Visma-Lease a Bike) 4:01:48
2) Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia/UAE-Emirates) +0:06
3) Remco Evenepoel (Belgium/Red Bull) +0:15
44) Derek Gee-West (Canada/Lidl-Trek) +7:34