DISCUSSION - Tour de France Stage 16 - Is ASO to blame for the crashes of Vingegaard and Lipowitz?

Remco Evenepoel underlined his status as the world's finest time trial specialist by claiming a dominant victory on Stage 16 of the Tour de France. The Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe rider was in a class of his own over the 26.1 km course between Évian-les-Bains and Thonon-les-Bains, setting the fastest time at every intermediate checkpoint before crossing the finish line almost half a minute ahead of Tadej Pogacar.

The route offered a demanding challenge. Riders first tackled the steady ascent of the Côte de Larringes before facing a technical descent to Lake Geneva, followed by a fast, flat run to the finish. It proved to be a course that rewarded complete riders capable of climbing, descending and producing sustained power on the flat.

Joshua Tarling was the first major contender to complete the course and immediately established a benchmark with an impressive ride. The young Brit posted a strong finishing time that resisted several notable challengers.

Huub Artz and Daan Hoole were quicker than Tarling on the opening climb but lost significant time during the flatter second half of the course. Artz's performance was also affected after he was delayed by XDS Astana team cars, leaving the Dutch rider frustrated after the finish.

Filippo Ganna also looked capable of taking over the lead after an excellent opening section but eventually finished just a few seconds behind his Netcompany INEOS teammate. Bruno Armirail then became the new rider in the hot seat thanks to an outstanding climbing effort before Mattia Cattaneo raised the standard once more with a near-perfect ride that finally broke Armirail's resistance.

There was also disappointment for Thymen Arensman before his time trial had barely begun. The Dutch rider reached the start ramp late and rolled away several seconds after his scheduled start time. Despite the costly delay, Arensman still produced one of the strongest performances of the afternoon, finishing only a handful of seconds behind Cattaneo's benchmark.

As the general classification contenders started their efforts, Mattias Skjelmose impressed early, but it quickly became clear that Evenepoel was operating on a completely different level.

Evenepoel exploded out of the start gate, immediately opening gaps over every rival. Wearing the rainbow jersey, the Belgian climbed the Côte de Larringes at an astonishing pace and steadily increased his advantage throughout the afternoon.

Only Tadej Pogacar managed to remain within touching distance. The UAE Team Emirates - XRG leader conceded only a few seconds at the first checkpoint and continued limiting his losses over the remainder of the course, but Evenepoel never looked under pressure as he maintained his advantage from start to finish.

Isaac Del Toro and Paul Seixas also delivered highly encouraging performances, while Skjelmose remained competitive throughout the stage, but none of them could challenge the two fastest riders.

Carlos Silva of CyclingUpToDate watched Stage 16's individual time trial unfold from start to finish, felt the disappointment of Florian Lipowitz's heartbreaking crash and abandonment, and experienced every twist in the thrilling battle between the Tour de France's general classification contenders.

There are time trials where the outcome is never really in doubt, and then there are time trials that remind everyone why Remco Evenepoel is still the benchmark against the clock. Stage 16 of the Tour de France belonged to the Belgian from the moment he left the start ramp. The rest were simply racing for the closest possible defeat.

The final result might suggest a close battle with Tadej Pogacar finishing just 28 seconds behind, but that gap doesn't tell the whole story. Evenepoel was faster at every intermediate checkpoint, controlled every technical section to perfection and never looked like losing the stage. This was not a victory built on one explosive effort, it was a complete time trial, the kind that only the very best specialists can produce.

Pogacar, meanwhile, probably leaves the day happier than anyone else in the general classification. Losing less than half a minute to the reigning world time trial champion is hardly a disappointment. More importantly, the Slovenian once again looked untouchable in the fight for yellow. He limited the damage, extended his overall lead over his rivals. Sometimes second place can feel like a victory, and this was one of those occasions.

The biggest talking point, however, wasn't the battle for the stage win. It was Florian Lipowitz. After a strong start, the German crashed heavily and was forced to abandon the Tour, ending what had been one of the breakthrough rides of this edition. It was a cruel reminder that three weeks of racing can change in a matter of seconds.

Isaac Del Toro deserves enormous credit as well. Third place behind Evenepoel and Pogacar confirms that his consistency is no longer a surprise but a reality. The young Mexican continues to perform under pressure and, with another mature display, strengthened his position among the elite riders of this Tour.

Paul Seixas produced another ride that deserves recognition. The French teenager finished just behind the podium after the fastest riders at every checkpoint. Performances like this show that his reputation as one of cycling's brightest prospects is fully justified.

The "hot seat" told its own story throughout the afternoon. Joshua Tarling laid down the first serious benchmark, Filippo Ganna couldn't quite beat him, Bruno Armirail then took over with an impressive ride, Mattia Cattaneo raised the standard once again, and for a while it genuinely looked like his time might survive.

Then the favourites arrived. Evenepoel simply erased every previous reference, reminding everyone of the difference between an excellent time trial and a world-class one. Looking ahead, this stage may not have decided the Tour, but it certainly reinforced the current hierarchy.

A final note for the race organisers. I know it is not easy to design a route that pleases everyone, that the roads are not always ideal, and that there are circumstances and obstacles the peloton and the race caravan have to deal with because they are there and simply unavoidable.

But what does seem avoidable to me is a certain lack of safety that I have been noticing recently. Today, at the corner where Lipowitz crashed, every other rider made it through without falling. He was unlucky, some riders had a scare, while others negotiated it without any problems.

But what could have been done? Perhaps, and I say perhaps because I was not on the ground to be 100% certain of the shortcoming, the necessary safety measures were not put in place at that corner, as they were not in others. Lipowitz slid across the road and slammed hard into the curb. What was there to protect him? Nothing.

The riders continue to be cannon fodder. But by all means, send in the vampires to carry out more anti-doping tests in the middle of the night.

Pascal Michiels of RadsportAktuell reflected on the day's events and was highly critical of the ASO, pointing the finger at the organisers over the recent withdrawals of Jonas Vingegaard and Florian Lipowitz.

After Vingegaard, the Tour has now lost Florian Lipowitz as well. However you look at it, I will say this twice: neither crash needed to happen. If the travelling circus that the Tour de France ultimately is had made just one simple change, both riders would still be in the race.

In both cases, the riders lost control of their bikes and slid into a curb. There were no impact pads visible in Vingegaard’s case, but the situation was even worse for Lipowitz. He slid across the asphalt, his shoulder slammed into the curb, and what could we clearly see? The safety barriers and padding intended to soften crashes had been placed on top of the curb rather than directly in front of it.

So the message to the riders is effectively this: slide straight into the curb and shatter your shoulder or skull. We have installed a crash pad in case you somehow make it over the curb afterwards.

The fact that an organisation which considers itself the height of professionalism can still operate this amateurishly in 2026 is frankly ridiculous. Yes, the riders should not take unnecessary risks, but when course reconnaissance has to be completed while weaving between cars, it is impossible to properly simulate what will happen in a corner during the actual time trial.

Pogacar also made that clear in his interview after seeing Lipowitz’s crash. He even briefly became airborne in the same corner. Yet the impact pad was still sitting on top of the curb. It takes only one person with common sense to check the positioning of crash padding properly during a race like this. Apparently, that is still too much to ask of the Tour de France.

Vingegaard and Lipowitz are paying the price for the organisers’ negligence. For all Pogacar’s brilliance, my thoughts were no longer with him or with the fantastic Remco Evenepoel. My mind kept returning to the same point: we had lost two riders, two of the five biggest names in the entire race. That is unforgivable.

Jorge Borreguero of CiclismoAlDia analysed the peloton's performances in today's individual time trial and, at the end of the day, shared his thoughts on everything he witnessed on the roads of France.

The Stage 16 time trial confirmed something that had already been apparent since the start of the Tour: when the course perfectly suits Remco Evenepoel, very few riders are capable of getting anywhere near his level. The Belgian produced a masterclass over the 26-kilometre test, claiming his second consecutive victory and once again proving that he remains the world's benchmark against the clock.

However, the day's biggest moral winner was also Tadej Pogacar. Finishing second, just 28 seconds behind the best time trial specialist in the world, is an outstanding result for the Slovenian. More importantly, he came through the stage without conceding significant time to Evenepoel and moved one step closer to winning the 2026 Tour de France.

The day's bitterest blow was the abandonment of Florian Lipowitz. The German had been enjoying an outstanding Tour and sat fifth overall before crashing out of the race. It is a huge setback for Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, although Evenepoel salvaged the day for the team with a prestigious victory.

In the battle for the podium, Paul Seixas once again strengthened his position. The Frenchman gained five seconds on Isaac del Toro and kept the fight for third place in Paris wide open. The pair are producing a fascinating duel that could ultimately be decided by the finest of margins during the final week.

Pablo Castrillo also deserves special recognition. The Spanish national time trial champion delivered an excellent ride to finish ninth against some of the world's finest specialists. It is a hugely encouraging result for Movistar Team and further evidence that the Aragonese rider continues to develop across every discipline.

Stage 16 delivered exactly what many expected and yet still managed to reshape the mood of this Tour de France. Remco Evenepoel once again demonstrated that, on a flat and technical individual time trial, he remains the rider everyone else is measured against. His victory was never seriously threatened, reaffirming the established hierarchy in the discipline and providing one of the most dominant performances of this year's race.

Yet the bigger winner in the battle for yellow may well have been Tadej Pogacar. Conceding only 28 seconds to the world's finest time trial specialist is an outstanding outcome, especially with the mountains still to come. Rather than losing control of the Tour, the Slovenian tightened his grip on it, leaving his rivals with fewer and fewer opportunities to mount a comeback.

The stage, however, will ultimately be remembered for far more than the stopwatch. Florian Lipowitz's crash and abandonment cast a shadow over the entire day and reopened uncomfortable questions about rider safety. Coming just days after Jonas Vingegaard's exit, it is difficult to ignore the growing feeling that both incidents might have been preventable. At this level of the sport, the smallest details matter, and the positioning of safety equipment should never become part of the post-race debate.

Beyond the victory and the disappointment, the fight for the podium remains one of the Tour's most compelling stories. Isaac del Toro continues to impress with remarkable consistency, while Paul Seixas refuses to let the battle for third place slip away. Their duel promises to be one of the narratives of the final week.

The Tour has lost two of its biggest protagonists, but the race itself is far from over. Evenepoel reminded everyone why he is the benchmark against the clock, Pogacar strengthened his path towards Paris, and the organisers are left facing difficult questions they can no longer afford to ignore.