The 2026 Tour de France finally got a proper breakaway and what an escape it was. Mauro Schmid was part of a group that swelled to 57 at its largest before getting away with Harold Tejada in the closing stages and outsprinting him to land Jayco Alula’s first win at this year’s race.Tom Pidcock was the best-placed rider overall in the break, and has leapt from 10th place to fourth on the general classification (GC) leaderboard. The Briton was disappointed not to have won the stage but is firmly back in the GC podium battle.Jacob Whitehead and Beren Cross assess a breathless day of action.
When your teammates are just as happy as you are! 🤩💜
Quand tes coéquipiers sont aussi heureux que toi! 🤩💜#TDF2026 pic.twitter.com/422zpjeLno
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 17, 2026Mauro Schmid’s patience pays offStage 13 was the longest of this year’s edition, but Friday’s action was arguably the best day of racing seen in this year’s Tour. Schmid and Tejada had been in the monster 57-strong group that formed before the day’s intermediate sprint. Once the sprinters had had their fun, the breakaway group began to fragment and the riders tackled the category-one Ballon d’Alsace climb.Schmid and Colombian Tejada made that selection and remained with a fluid front group, controlled by Pidcock as they neared the top and which stayed together on the fast-but-not-technical descent that followed.Schmid and Tejada then slipped away with 16 kilometres (10 miles) to go.
