Remco Evenepoel aims for victory in Tour de France stage five time trial

On July 9, 2025, the Tour de France featured stage five, which was a time trial held in Caen, France. The course was nearly flat, spanning 33 kilometers, and was expected to favor time-trial specialists. The event followed a thrilling stage four where Tadej Pogacar claimed his 100th career victory, which allowed him to move level with current race leader Mathieu van der Poel by time, adding tension to the overall classification. Pogacar had previously secured his 18th Tour stage win during this stage and was poised for a strong performance. As the stage unfolded, the competitors in the list were notable, particularly Remco Evenepoel, who was easily considered the top contender due to his prowess in time trial events. He was positioned in ninth place, 58 seconds behind the leaders, requiring a significant performance to take the yellow jersey in this stage. The time checks would help track the progress of the riders through the flat course, enabling spectators to gauge who would be in contention for victory as they neared the finish line. The excitement heightened as spectators awaited the results from the final ten riders, including Evenepoel, Pogacar, and Vingegaard. Evenepoel had missed the opportunity to compete against Filippo Ganna, who had withdrawn from the race after a crash in stage one, easing a potential challenge in the battle for the top spot. Analysts and viewers expected the absence of Ganna to improve Evenepoel's chances of a stage win, thus giving him a shot at the yellow jersey provided he could outperform the time needed against the leaders. The outcomes from this time trial would be pivotal in deciding the trajectory of the general classification for the Tour de France. The dynamics of the race were already pronounced, and stage five was positioned as a critical turning point that could dictate which riders would take the lead moving forward.