Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel dominated the Stage 16 time trial Tuesday, finishing the technical 26.1-kilometer course at Thonon-les-Bains, France, in 32 minutes, 19 seconds to strengthen his grip on second place in the overall standings at the Tour de France.

The time trial opened the third and final week of the Tour de France after an off day Monday, with the concluding Stage 21 set for a Sunday finish at Paris.

A three-time world champion in the time trial who also won both cycling events at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Evenepoel was a full minute faster than the closest competitor until Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar finished right behind him in second at 32:47.

Evenepoel was somewhat subdued after the victory at the news that Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe teammate Florian Lipowitz of Germany had to abandon the Tour de France following a crash on the time trial course.

Pogacar, who nearly crashed at the same corner where Lipowitz went down, remained in the overall leader’s yellow jersey, with Evenepoel 4:32 behind after winning his second consecutive stage. Evenepoel won Sunday’s Stage 15 by edging Pogacar on a closing climb in the mountains.

Mexico’s Isaac del Toro remained third in the overall standings after finishing fifth on Tuesday, while 19-year-old Paul Seixas of France was fourth overall after finishing fourth in the time trial.

Juan Ayuso of Spain is fifth overall, just ahead of Denmark’s Mattias Skjelmose, who finished in third place on Tuesday.

Lipowitz entered the time trial fifth in the overall standings, after finishing third overall last year, but is now out with an apparent right shoulder injury after crashing and sliding into a curb alongside the road.

Wednesday’s Stage 17 is a relatively flat 174.7-kilometer route with an early climb from Chambery to Voiron.

–Field Level Media