Fierce battle for overall victory expected in final days of Tour de France
Remco Evenepoel won the 16th stage individual time trial, reducing Tadej Pogacar's overall lead, while Latvian riders Krists Neilands and Toms Skujiņš finished 65th and 119th respectively.
On Tuesday, the 16th stage of the Tour de France was an individual time trial covering 26.1 kilometers with a second-category climb. Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel of Red Bull - Bora - hansgrohe claimed victory, completing the course in 32 minutes and 19 seconds at an average speed of 48.45 km/h.
Overall leader Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) finished second, 28 seconds slower, while Danish rider Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) took third, one minute and four seconds behind. Mexican Isaac Del Toro, Pogacar's teammate, was fourth.
Latvian cyclists Krists Neilands and Toms Skujiņš placed 65th and 119th in the stage. Neilands lost five minutes and five seconds, while Skujiņš was an additional one minute and four seconds slower.
After 16 stages, Pogacar holds the overall lead with a margin of four minutes and 32 seconds over Evenepoel. Del Toro is third, a further two minutes and 19 seconds back. In the general classification, Skujiņš sits in 93rd place and Neilands in 136th, both trailing by more than three hours. The battle for the yellow jersey is intensifying as Evenepoel continues to chip away at Pogacar's advantage.
