“I’m happy with my performance today, and tomorrow should suit me well”: Matteo Jorgenson climbs to second overall after strong Grand Colombier ride
Cycling
Matteo Jorgenson strengthened his position in the general classification at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes with a fourth-place finish on the Grand Colombier, moving up to second overall ahead of the race’s final stage. The Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider overcame a challenging day for his team, which started the stage without the ill Per Strand Hagenes and Jorgen Nordhagen.
Visma overcomes reduced numbers
Team Visma | Lease a Bike entered the stage with a smaller squad after Strand Hagenes and Nordhagen were forced to withdraw through illness. Despite those setbacks, the team successfully protected Jorgenson throughout a nervous stage that also saw several riders, including Paul Seixas, involved in crashes.
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The Dutch squad avoided any incidents and focused its efforts on positioning its leader for the final ascent of the Grand Colombier. Jorgenson remained with the leading riders for much of the ascent and eventually crossed the finish line in fourth place behind stage winner Isaac del Toro.
“I’m happy with my performance today,” Jorgenson said afterwards. “It was a stage that became very difficult to control early on. With Jorgen and Per out, we started with a small team, but I received strong support throughout the stage.”
Focus turns to the final stage
Jorgenson explained that his strategy on the Grand Colombier was to ride within his limits and minimise losses against the strongest climbers, a tactic that ultimately paid off. “On the final climb, I rode at my own pace and tried to get to the top as quickly as possible,” he said.
“I’m pleased to be second in the general classification now, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow. It’s a stage that should suit me well.”
With the queen stage still remaining, Jorgenson will look to defend his podium position and potentially challenge for an even higher placing in the final general classification.
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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- the 6th TDF is a more record breaking opportunity than a 2nd Giro. Jonas can double up. For Remco its TDF. For Sexias it will be a good opportunity but as usual TDF will be his main goal For del Toro, yes good opportunityabstractengineer04-11-2026
- Well, this is something which isn't all that common
Rafionain-Glas03-11-2026 - He lives in MonacoRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- It's also highly significant for Lorenzo Finn as he won there last year. Also Mateo Ramírez and Henrique Bravo if they goRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- This is a phenomenal course design. I do wish that they'd stretch these tours for the women to at least 2 weeks.RidesHills03-11-2026
- This is an amazing route, honestly. Let's hope that it attracts riders to make it a compelling and competitive race. Side bar amusement: going to Slovenia and passing pretty close to Pogačar's house. I wonder if they were tempting him to get all 3 jerseys at once after winning the Tour and Vuelta. After all, only a very few have ever had all three at the same time (Froome being the last).RidesHills03-11-2026
- He was a child two years agoRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- A great route aswell. Col d'Arpy is a toughieRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- Let Torito have a shot at itRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- A great route, much more exciting than the Tour de France. Monte Livata is an interesting one, because they experimented with it at the 2026 Baby Giro, and it was fantastic. 4 km at 10%, then 10 km at 6.5% made for a great spectacle. The stage 16 is horrible. Montaner is also used in the U23s, in Giro del BelvedereRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
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