The 2025 Tour de France continued Friday with stage 13 – a 10.9-kilometer mountain time trial on a route from Loudenvielle to Peyragudes. The strenuous Peyragudes climb would have to be climbed and GC favorites such as Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogacar, and Remco Evenepoel were expected to battle for a stage win and for time gains on the challenging route in the Pyrenees.

The experts at Roadcycling.com expected Tadej - The Cannibal - Pogacar to dominate the time trial after his stunning performance in yesterday’s stage 12, where he squashed all competition and gained two minutes on his closest GC contender Jonas Vingegaard after an early attack on the Hautacam. It was difficult to envisage how Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel or other GC challengers could be able to deliver a faster performance than Pogacar in the stage 13 time trial – not even if riding on fury following yesterday’s humiliation. To humiliate the other riders even more, Pogacar was said to have stayed in bed this morning instead of joining his fellow Tour de France GC challengers for a recon ride on the climb.

Matteo Vercher of Team TotalEnergies was the first rider to leave the time trial start ramp in Loudenvielle. The Frenchman started his time trial under sunny skies and with temperatures around 23 degrees Celsius.

Other riders ranked at the bottom of the general classification of this year’s Tour de France started their time trials. Riders such as Luke Durbridge, Jonathan Milan, Benjaamin Thomas, Jordi Meeus, and Lennert van Eetvelt would likely take things somewhat slow on their time trial bikes while conserving energy for the stages to come.

Having started the time trial first, Vercher was also the first rider to reach the summit and finish line of the time trial, and he entered the hot seat in the finish zone in Peyragudes.

Luke Plapp left the start ramp and set new fastest times at both Intermediate Timing Point 1 and 2. The Australian rider was also the fastest rider when he reached the finish line and took over the hot seat from Lennert van Eetvelt, but with many riders yet to start their time trials.

Bryan Coquard of Team Cofidis had crashed seriously in yesterday’s stage and misplaced and fractured his fingers. The Frenchman would have to undergo hand surgery on Saturday, but the Frenchman insisted on one last performance in this year’s Tour to honor the race before he would have to abandon.

Fred Wright and Pavel Sivakov started their time trials as did other riders including Lenny Martinez and Matteo Trentin. Martinez had delivered disappointing performances for his Bahrain-Victorious team in this year’s Tour and the climber could possibly aim for a top result in today’s mountain time trial unless he chose to save energy for tomorrow’s battle in legendary mountain terrain.

22-year-old Martinez was the third-fastest rider at Intermediate Timing Point 1 and second-best at intermediate timing point 2. Martinez continued to deliver an impressive and powerful performance all the way to the finish line in his polka-dot jersey, but alas the Frenchman failed to set a new fastest time at the finish line despite riding on French home soil.

Norwegian national time trial champion Tobias Foss started his time trial for Ineos-Grenadiers. The rider was thirteenth-fastest at intermediate timing point 1 and was obviously best in flatter terrain.

Wout van Aert left the start ramp, and the Visma-Lease a Bike rider looked determined to deliver a good result after teammate Vingegaard’s embarrassing performance in yesterday’s stage despite all teammates supporting his ambitions in the Tour.

Valentin Paret-Peintre set a fifth-best time at Intermediate Timing Point 2. The rider from Soudal-QuickStep was riding the time trial as lieutenant for team captain Remco Evenepoel and his times would likely be useful for Evenepoel when pacing his time trial.

Bruno Armirail was fourth best when the Decathlon-AG2R rider reached the finish line after an admirable performance in the mountain time trial. Armirail had been the first rider to enter the Hautacam climb in yesterday’s stage following a long breakaway effort.

Geraint Thomas disappointingly finished his time trial outside of the top thirty. The Ineos-Grenadiers rider was racing his final Tour de France – a race he won in 2018. Many had hoped to see more memorable performances from the much-admired Welshman.

Tiesj Benoot (Team Visma-Lease a Bike) and Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) left the start ramp. It remained to be seen if they would use the time trial to recover their legs before tomorrow’s crushing mountain climbing menu - or if their performances in the time trial should be used to time the efforts of their respective team captains.

Harry Sweeny finished the time trial in a new third best time – a fine performance from the EF Education-EasyPost rider.

Sean Yates started his time trial. The Giro d’Italia champion was participating in the Tour de France to help team captain Jonas Vingegaard, but perhaps he would be given more chances of own success after Vingegaard had faltered. Teammate Sepp Kuss also left the start ramp and the American rider, who should also assist Vingegaard in the Tour, had not been present when Vingegaard needed him on the Hautacam climb in yesterday’s stage.

Ineos-Grenadiers captain Carlos Rodriguez set the sixth-fastest time at Intermediate Timing Point 1 and 2 and was delivering a respectable performance in the mountain time trial. Hopefully great performances were in the cards for the Ineos-Grenadiers team in the coming stages as the team had been working on a revival since the arrival of Dave Brailsford.

Primoz Roglic left the start ramp for Team Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. Roglic had started the Tour de France as team captain for his team but had perhaps dropped in rank following German teammate Florian Lipowitz’ noteworthy performances.

Adam Yates was second best at Intermediate Timing Point 2 and when he crossed the finish line. Sepp Kuss was eighth-best at Intermediate Timing Point 2 and the same was the case when he reached the finish. 

Kevin Vauquelin started his time trial. The Arkea B & B Hotels rider had performed impressively well in the first stages of the Tour and his performances had been an eye-opener for many spectators. His level, however, had dropped in recent stages, but perhaps the Frenchman could find the energy to deliver a fine result in today’s time trial.

Florian Lipowitz left the start ramp. The German rider was using his time trial bike in the time trial, while most other riders had opted for their regular bikes for the time trial as it was mostly uphill.

Remco Evenepoel started his time trial. The Belgian star rider from Soudal-QuickStep was riding his time trial bike in the mountain time trial.

Jonas Vingegaard left the start ramp determined to make up for lost time and failed promises. The Dane was riding his time trial bike in the mountain time trial and would have next starter Tadej Pogacar on his tail. 

Pogacar was the final rider to start the time trial. The Slovenian rider from UAE Team Emirates was using his regular bike for the time trial effort and was looking stunningly fast in his yellow speed suit after having preferred additional sleep over a recon ride in the morning.

Roglic set a new fastest time at intermediate timing point 2 and squeezed Matteo Jorgenson into second. Could he countinue the fine performance in the remaining kilometers to the finish line?

Evenepoel set a new fastest time at Intermediate Timing Point 1 and Vingegaard was almost four seconds behind the Belgian. Pogacar blast past the timing point eight seconds faster than Vingegaard and four seconds faster than Evenepoel.

Matteo Jorgensen finished the time trial in second place for Visma-Lease a Bike.

Primoz Roglic had continued his fine performance in the final kilometers of the climb and set a new fastest time when he crossed the finish line. The Slovenian rider would replace Luke Plapp in the hot seat.

Jonas Vingegaard had found new energy and set a new fastest time at Intermediate Timing Point 2. The Dane was 29 seconds faster than Roglic and almost a minute faster than Remco Evenepoel at the timing point. Vingegaard’s fans had little time for hope and joy as it did not take long before Pogacar crossed the same timing point 24 seconds faster than Vingegaard. Florian Lipowitz was fourth-fastest at Intermediate Timing Point 2.

Evenepoel dropped his chain in the final kilometers but managed to get it back on. The young Belgian rider then pressed on to make up for lost seconds.

Lipowitz approached the finish line in a finishing time that would be approved be most cycling analysts. Lipowitz was 36 seconds behind teammate Roglic, but the favorites were yet to finish their time trials.

Vingegaard had almost caught Evenepoel when two hundred meters remained. Evenepoel fought hard to prevent the Dane from passing him before the finish line. Vingegaard managed to catch Evenepoel before the finish line and had delivered a better performance than yesterday.

Tadej Pogacar approached the finish line and crossed it in a new fastest time as winner of stage 13 of Tour de France. It was the fourth stage victory for the Slovenian rider in this year’s Tour. The performance by Pogacar, however, was somewhat disappointing and a greater time difference between Vingegaard and him had been expected.

Jonas Vingegaard finished second, 36 seconds behind the stage winner. Primoz Roglic surprisingly finished third, 01:20 minutes behind Pogacar. Lipowitz was fourth, Luke Plapp fifth, Jorgenson sixth, Oscar Onley seventh, Adam Yates eighth, Lenny Martinez ninth, while Felix Gall completed the time trial top ten.

“This time trial was a big question mark for me, and I wanted everything to be perfect and my team delivered everything in the final moment. I had a nice preparation, and I tried to smash as much as possible, and I gave it everything because I wanted to win,” stage winner Tadej Pogacar told Roadcycling.com after the finish.

“Choosing the right bike was the most difficult decision today and I decided to be more comfortable and in the end it worked out for me. I decided to go without a radio today and I was already ahead at the first timing point, and I knew at the second timing point I was even improving. I made sure not to blow up in the first part of the time trial and in the final kilometers I dropped my power a bit to reach the final meters with good legs,” Pogacar explained.

Tadej Pogacar remains general classification leader in the 2025 Tour de France. Jonas Vingegaard is second, now 04:07 minutes behind GC leader Pogacar. Remco Evenepoel is third in the GC, now 07:24 behind the race leader. While Lipowitz is fourth, Onley fifth, and Vauquelin sixth. Roglic is seventh, 08:50 minutes back.

The Tour de France will continue Saturday with stage 14 – a 182.6-kilometer challenging ride in mountainous territory on a route from Pau to Luchon-Superbagneres. The stage will feature two Beyond Category climbs – one of them the Col du Tourmalet early in the stage. The top of the GC classification sadly appears decided as the stage profile had otherwise invited to great fireworks and excitement for the spectators along the route and at home.

It remains to be seen if GC favorites such as Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogacar, and Remco Evenepoel can find the needed motivation to challenge each other in stage 14 on the legendary climbs of the Pyrenees with Pogacar having such a significant lead in the GC before the stage.

Stay tuned to Roadcycling.com for complete coverage from the 2025 Tour de France.