Van der Poel wins with the longest breakaway in memory: 175 km solo and victory

Mathieu van der Poel has won the final stage of the Tour de Luxembourg after spending practically the entire day in a breakaway. The Dutchman attacked as soon as the race started and completed about 175 kilometers solo. A performance hard to ignore with just a week left until the World Championship in Montreal.

Van der Poel attacks as soon as it starts and no one sees him again

The fifth and final stage of the Tour de Luxembourg was 177.4 kilometers between Mersch and Luxembourg. It was also the toughest day of the race, with a route that had hardly any flat terrain and a final circuit in Limpertsberg that included several climbs to Pabeierbierg, 830 meters at 8.8%. Van der Poel did not wait for that final part.

Shortly after the start, on the first unclassified climb, he attacked when there were still about 176 kilometers to go. Six riders tried to chase him down, but they couldn't reach him either. The Dutchman continued alone.

His lead, which initially hovered around a minute, grew to about five minutes. Behind, Visma-Lease a Bike began to control the gap to defend Davide Piganzoli's lead.

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The situation changed as they approached Luxembourg. The margin began to decrease, and Van der Poel entered the final circuit with less than three minutes. Mikkel Honoré then left the peloton and began a solo chase, while behind, the race also accelerated due to the movements of the general classification men.

Even so, there was still too much ground to recover. When the bell for the final lap rang, Van der Poel still had a margin and about 12 kilometers from the finish, he maintained over two minutes.

After 4:10:58 of racing, he crossed the finish line solo. Honoré arrived 1:04 later, and Pepijn Reinderink was third at 1:09. Van der Poel had spent practically the entire stage in front. About 175 kilometers alone.

A final test before the World Championship in Montreal

The victory comes just a week before the World Road Championship in Montreal and after Van der Poel had been relatively unnoticed during the previous two stages of the Tour de Luxembourg.

The Dutchman had already explained that he considers the World Championship route too tough for him, but in Luxembourg, he tested himself with a completely different effort than a conventional race.

It was not an attack on the final climb nor a breakaway formed after many kilometers of fighting. Van der Poel left practically from the start and spent more than four hours pedaling without companions.

Moreover, he did it in the most rugged stage of the race and maintained enough of a lead when the peloton accelerated in the final circuit. This will be his last reference in competition before the World Championship.

Piganzoli takes the Tour de Luxembourg 2026

Behind Van der Poel, the general classification was also at stake. Davide Piganzoli entered the final stage as the leader and responded when the race intensified in the final kilometers.

The Italian finished fourth, 1:09 behind Van der Poel, and secured the overall victory of the Tour de Luxembourg.

Mattéo Vercher finished second in the general classification at 52 seconds, and Thomas Gachignard completed the podium at 54. Igor Arrieta, fifth at 1:25, is the best Spaniard.

Top 10 of stage 5 Tour de Luxembourg 2026

1. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) – 4:10:58
2. Mikkel Frølich Honoré (EF Education-EasyPost) – +1:04
3. Pepijn Reinderink (Soudal Quick-Step) – +1:09
4. Davide Piganzoli (Visma-Lease a Bike) – +1:09
5. Lukas Nerurkar (EF Education-EasyPost) – +1:09
6. Mattéo Vercher (TotalEnergies) – +1:14
7. Søren Kragh Andersen (Lidl-Trek) – +1:14
8. Thomas Gachignard (TotalEnergies) – +1:14
9. Antoine L'Hôte (Decathlon CMA CGM) – +1:18
10. Aurélien Paret-Peintre (Decathlon CMA CGM) – +1:18

Final general classification Tour de Luxembourg 2026

1. Davide Piganzoli (Visma-Lease a Bike) – 16:22:17
2. Mattéo Vercher (TotalEnergies) – +0:52
3. Thomas Gachignard (TotalEnergies) – +0:54
4. Aurélien Paret-Peintre (Decathlon CMA CGM) – +1:03
5. Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) – +1:25
6. Tijmen Graat (Visma-Lease a Bike) – +2:10
7. Søren Kragh Andersen (Lidl-Trek) – +2:16
8. Sam Oomen (Lidl-Trek) – +2:16
9. Pepijn Reinderink (Soudal Quick-Step) – +2:24
10. Eike Behrens (Team Lotto Kern-Haus Outlet Montabaur) – +2:33