Records, winning streaks, time trial kings: The most fascinating statistics from Thonon-les-Bains

4: Evenepoel strikes again

Remco Evenepoel has won his fourth stage at the Tour de France. The Belgian dominated the 26.1-kilometre individual time trial between Évian-les-Bains and Thonon-les-Bains, clocking an average speed of 48.458 km/h.

Following his victory on the Plateau de Solaison two days earlier, the Olympic champion was thus celebrating his second stage win in the space of three days. It was also his third time trial victory in the Tour de France, following his wins in Gevrey-Chambertin in 2024 and Caen in 2025.

This puts the Soudal-Quick-Step rider on a par with his compatriots Lucien Van Impe and Freddy Maertens, who have also each won three Tour time trials. However, the record-holders – Eddy Merckx with 16 and Bernard Hinault with 20 time trial victories – remain a long way ahead.

3: The Lord of the Clock

With his victory in Thonon-les-Bains, Evenepoel has now won an individual time trial in his third consecutive Tour de France. Following his triumphs in 2024 and 2025, he continues his impressive run of form.

The Belgian is the first rider since Fabian Cancellara to achieve this feat in at least three consecutive editions. The Swiss rider even won a time trial in four consecutive editions of the Tour between 2007 and 2010.

In the history of the Tour, only a handful of specialists have achieved a comparable run of victories. These include Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.

10: Belgium celebrates its National Day

21 July is Belgium’s national holiday and appears to be a lucky day for Belgian Tour professionals. With his victory on Lake Geneva, Remco Evenepoel became the tenth Belgian to win a Tour stage on this day.

The last person to achieve this was Rudy Matthijs, when he triumphed in Paris in 1985. The first Belgian to win a stage on the national holiday was Marcel Buysse in Belfort in 1913.

The list also includes big names such as Philippe Thys, Eddy Merckx and Lucien Van Impe. Merckx even won a stage on the national holiday in 1974 and secured overall victory in the Tour on the very same day.

7: A rare Belgian double

Remco Evenepoel, together with Tim Merlier, has contributed to a remarkable Belgian record. Having already won the stages to Bordeaux and Bergerac, Merlier has now followed this up with victories on the Plateau de Solaison and in Thonon-les-Bains.

This marks the seventh time since 1920 that two different Belgian riders have won consecutive Tour stages. The tradition dates back to Firmin Lambot and Philippe Thys in 1920.

Later, this feat was achieved by, amongst others, the pairs Lucien Buysse and Hector Martin, Walter Godefroot and Eddy Merckx, and Patrick Sercu and Eddy Merckx.

24: Déjà vu on the podium

Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogacar had already taken first and second place on the Plateau de Solaison. The exact same order was now repeated in the time trial from Thonon-les-Bains.

This is only the 24th time in the history of the Tour de France that the same two riders have finished in first and second place on two consecutive stages.

A similar example occurred not so long ago. In the 2025 Tour, Pogacar won the stages to Hautacam and Peyragudes in succession, ahead of Jonas Vingegaard. An individual time trial was also part of the series on that occasion.

47: Pogacar draws level with Sagan

By finishing second in the time trial, Tadej Pogacar has already secured his 47th podium finish in a Tour stage. This puts the Slovenian level with Peter Sagan in fifth place on the all-time list.

Pogacar’s record comprises 25 stage wins, 14 second places and eight third places. Sagan achieved his 47 podium finishes through twelve wins, 22 second places and 13 third places.

Given his age, Pogacar is likely to climb even higher in the coming years.

1983: Seixas smashes the junior record

Paul Seixas continues to create historic moments. The Decathlon CMA CGM rider finished fourth in the time trial, setting a new age record in the process.

At 19 years, nine months and 27 days, the Frenchman is now the youngest rider in Tour history to have finished in the top five of an individual time trial.

The previous record was held by the Belgian Eric Vanderaerden, who won a Tour time trial in 1983 at the age of 21 years, four months and 20 days. Seixas has beaten that mark by a considerable margin.

At the same time, he has overtaken Thierry Marie as the youngest Frenchman to finish in the top five of a Tour time trial. Marie had finished third in Villard-de-Lans in 1985 at the age of 22. Seixas has thus proved once again that he is one of the greatest talents of this Tour de France.