Pogačar Wins Tour de France Stage 12 Pyrenees Reclaims Yellow Jersey

The 2025 Tour de France entered the high mountains with a dramatic stage 12, a 182.6km route from Auch to Hautacam featuring nearly 4,950 meters of climbing, including the first hors-catégorie summit finish of the race. Defending champion Tadej Pogačar, despite a crash on the previous day, launched a decisive attack on the final climb to reclaim the yellow jersey, finishing over two minutes ahead of his main rival, Jonas Vingegaard, who won at Hautacam in 2022 but now trails by three-and-a-half minutes. The stage tested the riders' endurance and climbing abilities, with French President Emmanuel Macron observing the race and praising the efforts of French cyclists Bruno Armirail and Kévin Vauquelin. Earlier stages had been marked by surprise victories, including Norway's Jonas Abrahamsen's emotional first Tour stage win, and an impressive yellow jersey stint by Irish rider Ben Healy, who struggled on the mountainous terrain. The stage was pivotal for general classification contenders, with Pogačar's UAE Team Emirates facing challenges after losing key climber João Almeida. The high-altitude summit finish at Hautacam signaled the true beginning of the race’s decisive phase, promising intense competition and drama among the favorites.