Evenepoel edges Pogacar in Evian–Thonon time trial as nighttime testing row deepens

Remco Evenepoel won the stage-16 time trial from Evian to Thonon-les-Bains, beating Tadej Pogacar by 28 seconds and cutting the Slovenian’s margin to just over four and a half minutes. The victory, achieved on the Belgian national day, coincided with a deepening row over nighttime doping tests.

Evenepoel’s triumph was his second successive stage win in this Tour de France and marked the third time he has taken a Tour time trial. The Olympic road and time trial champion now sits second overall. After the stage Evenepoel said 'not over yet'. Florian Lipowitz, who finished third in this race last year, abandoned after a crash.

The stage-16 effort from Evian to Thonon-les-Bains produced a clear time gap between the leading pair, with Evenepoel completing the course 28 seconds faster than Pogacar. Those seconds reduced the Slovenian’s advantage in the general classification to just over four and a half minutes. The result tightened the positions at the top while leaving the race leadership in Pogacar’s hands.

Evenepoel’s back-to-back stage victories underline his form in both road and time-trial disciplines, building on his Olympic titles in those events. His third Tour time trial win highlights a continued strength against the clock and provides momentum as the race moves through its later stages. The Belgian national day win added symbolic significance to the performance.

Pogacar, still the race leader after stage 16, now faces a diminished cushion but retains more than four minutes in hand overall. The time lost to Evenepoel is measurable but not decisive in the context of the Tour’s remaining terrain. Both riders’ positions and performances will be watched closely in the coming stages.

Florian Lipowitz’s withdrawal following his crash removes a contender who stood on the podium at this race last year. His exit was confirmed after the incident and will affect the dynamics lower down the standings. The nighttime testing dispute remains a separate and escalating issue alongside the on-road battles.

Evenepoel’s victory narrowed the gap to Pogacar and added further intrigue to the general classification, while the ongoing nighttime doping test row continued to cast a shadow over the event. The outcome of the contest for yellow and the resolution of the testing controversy will shape headlines over the next stages.