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Tour De France Stage 16: Valentin Paret-Peintre Wins; Tadej Pogacar Consolidates Overall Lead

Valentin Paret-Peintre triumphed on Mont Ventoux to become the first home rider to win a stage at this year’s Tour de France, while Tadej Pogacar consolidated his overall lead Tuesday (July 22, 2025). Paret-Peintre followed former yellow jersey holder Ben Healy on a breakaway and then beat the Irish rider in a sprint for the line at the top of the famed barren mountain known as the “Beast of Provence.” Santiago Buitrago was third, 4 seconds behind, ahead of Ilan Van Wilder and fifth-placed Pogacar, who withstood repeated attacks from Jonas Vingegaard to cross the line 2 seconds before his main rival.

Tour de France cycling race 2025 Sixteenth stage photos: Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar
Tour De France Cycling Race: Stage 16 | Photo: AP/Thibault Camus

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, celebrates on the podium after the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 171.5 kilometers (106.6 miles) with start in Montpellier and finish on the Mont Ventoux, France.

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Tour de France cycling race 2025 Sixteenth stage photos: Slovenias Tadej Pogacar
Tour De France Cycling Race: Stage 16 | Photo: AP/Thibault Camus

Overall leader Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar also took the best climbers dotted jersey after the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 171.5 kilometers (106.6 miles) with start in Montpellier and finish on the Mont Ventoux, France.

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Tour de France cycling race 2025 Sixteenth stage photos: Frances Valentin Paret Peintre
Tour De France Cycling Race: Stage 16 | Photo: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy

France's Valentin Paret Peintre crosses the finish line to win the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 171.5 kilometers (106.6 miles) with start in Montpellier and finish on the Mont Ventoux, France.

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Tour de France cycling race 2025 Sixteenth stage photos: Spains Enric Mas
Tour De France Cycling Race: Stage 16 | Photo: AP/Thibault Camus

Spain's Enric Mas strains as he rides breakaway during the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 171.5 kilometers (106.6 miles) with start in Montpellier and finish on the Mont Ventoux, France.

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Tour de France cycling race 2025 Sixteenth stage photos: Denmarks Jonas Vingegaard
Tour De France Cycling Race: Stage 16 | Photo: AP/Thibault Camus

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, follows Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard as they climb Mont Ventoux during the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 171.5 kilometers (106.6 miles) with start in Montpellier and finish on the Mont Ventoux, France.

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Tour de France cycling race 2025 Sixteenth stage photos: Denmarks Jonas Vingegaard
Tour De France Cycling Race: Stage 16 | Photo: AP/Thibault Camus

Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard follows Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, who accelerates in the last kilometer of the Mont Ventoux climb during the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 171.5 kilometers (106.6 miles) with start in Montpellier and finish on the Mont Ventoux, France.

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Tour de France cycling race 2025 Sixteenth stage photos: Sepp Kuss of the U.S.
Tour De France Cycling Race: Stage 16 | Photo: Bernard Papon/Pool Photo via AP

Sepp Kuss of the U.S., left, sets the pace for team leader Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard, second left, while Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, and teammate Britain's Adam Yates follow during the last kilometers of the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 171.5 kilometers (106.6 miles) with start in Montpellier and finish on the Mont Ventoux, France.

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Tour de France cycling race 2025 Sixteenth stage photos: Lunar landscape of the Mont Ventoux
Tour De France Cycling Race: Stage 16 | Photo: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy

Riders climb in the Lunar landscape of the Mont Ventoux during the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 171.5 kilometers (106.6 miles) with start in Montpellier and finish on the Mont Ventoux, France.

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Tour de France cycling race 2025 Sixteenth stage photos: Slovenias Tadej Pogacar
Tour De France Cycling Race: Stage 16 | Photo: AP/Thibault Camus

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, and Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard sprint towards the finish line of the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 171.5 kilometers (106.6 miles) with start in Montpellier and finish on the Mont Ventoux, France.

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Tour de France cycling race 2025 Sixteenth stage photos: Austrias Marco Haller
Tour De France Cycling Race: Stage 16 | Photo: AP/Thibault Camus

Austria's Marco Haller, Switzerland's Marc Hirschi and Belgium's Xandro Meurisse, from left to right, ride breakaway during the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 171.5 kilometers (106.6 miles) with start in Montpellier and finish on the Mont Ventoux, France.

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Tour de France cycling race 2025 Sixteenth stage photos: Belgiums Xandro Meurisse
Tour De France Cycling Race: Stage 16 | Photo: AP/Thibault Camus

Belgium's Xandro Meurisse, front, Austria's Marco Haller, and Switzerland's Marc Hirschi break away during the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 171.5 kilometers (106.6 miles) with start in Montpellier and finish on the Mont Ventoux, France.

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