"I still believed in it, because if you don't, it's better not to ride": Liam Slock falls just two kilometers short of a legendary solo Tour de France victory in Bergerac
Cycling
Liam Slock produced one of the most memorable performances of the 2026 Tour de France so far, coming within two kilometres of a sensational solo victory before being caught by the sprinters on stage 8 to Bergerac.
The young Belgian attacked from the day's breakaway and resisted the chasing peloton for almost the entire stage, only to be reeled in shortly before the flamme rouge. This effort gave him the combativity prize of the stage.
An impressive solo effort against the peloton
The stage from Périgueux saw early breakaway attempts repeatedly shut down by the sprinter teams, but Slock eventually forced his way clear alongside Thibault Guernalec and Jakub Otruba. The group split on the slopes of the Côte du Buisson-de-Cadouin, where Slock dropped his companions near the summit and committed to a long solo time trial.
Despite a heavy chase organized by teams looking to set up the final sprint, the Belgian maintained a lead of over a minute into the final ten kilometers. Slock's lead shrank rapidly inside the final seven kilometres, but he continued to fight all the way until he was finally caught less than two kilometres from the finish.
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Despite the disappointment, the Belgian took pride in how long he managed to keep the peloton at bay. "I believed for a really long time because, between 30 and 15 kilometres to go, I didn't lose much time," Slock said after the finish.
"Then, on the big roads, I lost quite a bit of time, and from that moment I knew it was going to be difficult. But I still believed in it, because if you don't, it's better not to ride."
Liam Slock crashed as he won GP Gippingen
A breakthrough moment on cycling's biggest stage
Although victory slipped away in the closing moments, Slock believes the performance represents an important milestone in his young career.
"This season has been quite a breakthrough for me," he explained. "I wanted it to happen in a different way, but everybody knows me for this [the crash-but-victory in the GP Gippingen]. Now maybe they will remember me for something else."
The 26-year-old also reflected on the emotion of living out a childhood dream by racing the Tour de France. "I've always dreamed of this. I was standing by the roadside watching the Tour de France when I was six years old, and ever since then I've dreamed of doing it. Twenty years later, here I am."
Félix SernaCycling Journalist
Félix Serna is a writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2025. He covers professional cycling across both the men’s and women’s calendars, with a focus on UCI rankings, race developments, and rider performance. His work includes interview-based reports, liveblogs, and tournament coverage designed to provide clear, accurate context throughout the season.
In his reporting, Félix regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical reference. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies.
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- as we all like the david-style rebels, he will leave a gap.Ketterechts12-11-2026
- Oy, don't insult girlsHills3312-11-2026
- lol yeah. this is a good onemij12-11-2026
- Mads is the best: I didn’t even know there were rules in cyclocross. I just thought it was a matter of: ‘Go, three, two, one, ride.’ It’s like a street fight, a kind of underground brawl. It’s the MMA of cycling he gives the best quotes.mij12-11-2026
- he's too young. he's 23, so not really a fair call yet.mij12-11-2026
- and don't forget Pidcock's departure. maybe he will never win a GT, but he knows how to light up a race.mij12-11-2026
- Bingo...I was going to say a 12 year obsessed Pogi fan girlie ! Like she's chasing a teen boy band! All glossy eyed about tadej!frieders312-11-2026
- That stint in the Pink was so good. If memory serves he struggled with the champagne cuz he'd never been on the podium before. I feel like it gave him some self-belief, and yeah - then the move to Visma to be one of their lieutenants has really brought him to the best version of himself.wrsty12-11-2026
- So, you never really compared Paul Seixas with his main rival Isaac Del Toro why jump to Pogačar? They've (Paul & Isaac) raced together here and there, and they've both shared in wins and losses, I think they should be compared to each other, even with Vingegaard and Remco first before even touching Pogačar. From your writing it's like he's better than Vingegaard, Remco and Del Toro already that his main target is now Pogačar 🤔Sadick11-11-2026
- gee i hope its a minor injury. a great rider and ambassador for the sport. get well soon Lucinda.
Davide11-11-2026
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