You probably thought you knew how the 2025 Tour was going to go. After the first few days of chaotic sprinting and punchy finishes, Stage 5 arrived like a bucket of cold water. It was the day the pretenders got separated from the real contenders.
The individual time trial in Caen wasn't just another day in the saddle. Honestly, it was a brutal 33-kilometer reality check.
Remco Evenepoel didn't just win. He reminded everyone why he wears the rainbow stripes of a world champion. He averaged a terrifying 53.9 km/h. Think about that for a second. While you’re driving through a suburban neighborhood, Remco is basically matching your speed on two wheels and a piece of carbon fiber.
What Actually Happened in Caen
The course was a 33-km loop starting and finishing in the historic city of Caen. It was flat. It was fast. It was exactly the kind of "power" course that favors the specialists rather than the featherweight climbers.
Remco Evenepoel clocked a time of 36 minutes and 42 seconds.
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Tadej Pogačar was the only one who really stayed in the same zip code as the Belgian. He finished 16 seconds back. For most riders, 16 seconds is a lifetime, but against a peak Evenepoel in a flat TT? That’s actually a massive statement from Pogačar. It showed he wasn't just here to participate; he was here to dominate the overall standings.
And dominate he did. Even though Remco took the stage honors, Pogačar snatched the Yellow Jersey. He didn't just take it; he put significant daylight between himself and his biggest rivals.
The Vingegaard Problem
Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Jonas Vingegaard.
If you were a Visma-Lease a Bike fan, Stage 5 was tough to watch. Vingegaard finished 13th. He lost 1 minute and 21 seconds to Remco. More importantly, he lost over a minute to Pogačar.
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In a race often decided by seconds, losing a minute on a flat road in Normandy is a disaster. There’s no other way to put it.
- Remco Evenepoel: 36:42 (The Winner)
- Tadej Pogačar: +16s (The New Yellow Jersey)
- Edoardo Affini: +33s (Solid podium for Visma)
- Kévin Vauquelin: +49s (The local hero overperforming)
- Jonas Vingegaard: +1:21 (The shock of the day)
Vingegaard’s reaction after the line said it all. He looked shell-shocked. He mentioned later that his "watts were way below" what he expected. When a two-time winner says the legs just weren't there, you have to wonder if the preparation was slightly off or if Pogačar is just on another planet this year.
Why Stage 5 Tour de France Matters So Much Now
People focus on the Alps and the Pyrenees. We get it. Mountains are sexy. They make for great TV. But Stage 5 Tour de France essentially rewrote the script for the rest of the race.
Before Caen, the gaps were tiny. After Caen, the GC (General Classification) looks like a shattered mirror. Pogačar leads Evenepoel by 42 seconds. Vingegaard is now over a minute back.
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This forces a tactical shift. Vingegaard can’t just follow wheels anymore. He has to attack. He has to find a place to claw back that minute, and in modern cycling, finding a minute on Tadej Pogačar is like trying to find a needle in a haystack—while the haystack is on fire.
The Local Hero and the Surprise Pack
You’ve gotta feel for Kévin Vauquelin. The guy is from Normandy. He had the local crowd screaming his name until they were hoarse. He finished 5th on the stage, which is incredible for a 24-year-old. He’s proving that he’s not just a "one-hit wonder" after his early success in the race.
Then there’s the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe camp. Primož Roglič didn't have a "bad" day, but he didn't have a "great" day either. He lost 1:19. He’s basically in the same boat as Vingegaard now. They are both staring at the back of Pogačar’s jersey, wondering how the hell they’re going to get past him.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
If you're following the race after the fallout of Stage 5, keep these things in mind for your office pool or just your own sanity:
- Watch the "Attacking" Teams: Visma-Lease a Bike and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe are now in "desperation mode." Expect them to try something crazy in the transition stages or early in the mountain blocks.
- Monitor Remco’s Climbing: Evenepoel proved he's the king of the clock. The big question remains: can he hold this 42-second gap to Pogačar when the road tilts to 10% gradients for an hour?
- Don't Count Out the "Others": Matteo Jorgenson and João Almeida are lurking. If the big three (Pogačar, Vingegaard, Evenepoel) start staring each other down, these "second-tier" leaders might find an opening.
Stage 5 wasn't just a race against the clock; it was the day the 2025 Tour de France finally revealed its true face. The time for shadow-boxing is over. Now, the real fight begins.
Keep a close eye on the time gaps in the next few hilly stages. If Vingegaard doesn't start recouping time before the high mountains, the race for yellow might be over before we even hit the Pyrenees. Focus on the bonus seconds at the finish lines—they are more valuable now than ever.