Valentin Paret-Peintre delivered a moment of national pride on Tuesday, storming to a historic victory atop the legendary Mont Ventoux. His triumph not only marked his first-ever Tour de France stage win but also made him the first Frenchman to conquer a stage in this year’s edition of the race—doing so in one of the Tour’s most grueling ascents, the “Beast of Provence.”
The 171.5-kilometer Stage 16 route, beginning in Montpellier and ending with the punishing climb up Mont Ventoux, was expected to reshape the general classification. And it did, but not before delivering a career-defining moment for the 23-year-old French climber.
Paret-Peintre launched a well-timed breakaway alongside former yellow jersey holder Ben Healy and sealed the win in a nail-biting sprint finish. He crossed the summit just ahead of Healy, with Santiago Buitrago finishing third, four seconds back.
Tadej Pogacar remains unshaken amid Vingegaard's relentless attacks
Meanwhile, all eyes were on the yellow jersey battle—and Tadej Pogacar proved once again why he’s the man to beat. Despite repeated attacks from two-time Tour winner Jonas Vingegaard, Pogacar held firm and crossed the line two seconds ahead of his Danish rival, further extending his overall lead.
“I think we'll race until Paris and we'll see who will be the winner,” Pogacar said after the stage. “Today was a proper hard day after the rest day, also for me.”
With this result, the Slovenian superstar now leads Vingegaard by a commanding 4 minutes and 15 seconds in the general classification. Barring any surprises, Tadej Pogacar is on track for his fourth Tour de France victory, cementing his legacy as one of the sport's greatest champions.
Stage 16: A brutal climb with historic significance
Mont Ventoux has always carried a heavy legacy. The climb is etched in Tour folklore—not only for its difficulty but for its tragic history, including the death of British cyclist Tom Simpson in 1967.
This year’s route featured 15.7 kilometers at an unforgiving 8.8% gradient. Riders like Wout van Aert, who won here in 2021, launched early attacks, but only a select few could endure the brutal incline. Among them, Valentin Paret-Peintre and Healy stood out as they surged past the chasers, with Paret-Peintre proving strongest in the final meters.
Van der Poel withdraws, winds loom for sprinters
Tuesday also saw the withdrawal of Dutch star Mathieu van der Poel due to pneumonia, a significant loss for the points classification. As the peloton heads into Stage 17, a flat 160.4-kilometer course from Bollène to Valence, sprinters will have one last real opportunity to shine. However, unpredictable winds could turn the stage into another strategic battlefield.
With only a few days remaining, every stage is now critical. For Tadej Pogacar, maintaining control is key. For Vingegaard, opportunities to close the gap are dwindling. And for riders like Valentin Paret-Peintre, the Tour still offers moments to etch their names into French cycling history.