Tejada, punchy, savvy and Apt
March 13 th 2026 - 16:59
Already 3rd in Colombier-le-Vieux, Harold Tejada showed his punch, skills, and grit to take victory in Apt, the finish of stage 6 of Paris–Nice 2026. The Colombian made the most of a hilly and thrilling finale with a counter-attack over the top of the Côte de Saignon, summited just inside the final 5 kilometres. The shattered peloton reacted too late, and Tejada flew to XDS Astana’s second victory this week after Max Kanter conquered Montargis on stage 2. In his wake, French national champion Dorian Godon (Ineos Grenadiers) was the fastest from the bunch to take second ahead of Lewis Askey (NSN). Jonas Vingegaard (Visma–Lease a Bike) safely navigated the day’s challenges to retain the leader’s yellow and white jersey ahead of the final weekend around Nice.
After Jonas Vingegaard’s dominant performances to claim victory in Uchon and Colombier-le-Vieux, the 84th edition of the Race to the Sun heads to Apt with a 179.3km hilly stage starting in Barbentane. The peloton face 2,100m of elevation, with a series of ascents capped off by the cat-2 Côte de Saignon, to be summited inside the last 5 kilometres. 125 riders start after Oscar Onley (Ineos Grenadiers), Ivan Romeo (Movistar), Julien Bernard (Lidl Trek), and Rick Pluimers (Tudor) withdraw from the race.
Tarling emerges from a big battle for the break
Attackers want to make it another hard day. It takes 42 kilometres of battle for a four-man breakaway to set off with Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers), Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates XRG), Staff Cras (Soudal Quick-Step), and Arthur Kluckers (Tudor). Counter-attackers try to join them but Biniam Girmay’s NSN and Bryan Coquard’s Cofidis control them.
Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis) is tasked with driving the peloton. The pace remains strong and the gap never gets higher than 2’10’’ just before the ascent up the Côte de Bonnieux, reached after 2 hours of racing at almost 49 km/h.
Full on battle
The peloton accelerate towards the last climbs of the day, the cat. 2 ascents of Col de l’Aire Deï Masco (summited with 33.2 km remaining) and Côte de Saignon (4.5km to go). The gap is down to 1’20’’ at the bottom of the first of these two ascents.
As the situation settles on the climb, Soren Kragh Andersen (Lidl Trek) sets off in pursuit with 37 km remaining. At the Col de l’Aire Deï Masco, he trails by 30’’. The peloton are 20’’ further behind.
Igor Arrieta goes hard on the downhill. Cras is dropped and rapidly caught by Kragh Andersen. The duo fail to bridge the gap and eventually sit up to wait for the bunch.
Tejada finds the opening
The gap increases to 1’20’’ again, into the last 20 kilometres. But Lidl-Trek react and drive a strong chase with Kragh Andersen, Jakob Söderqvist and Lennard Kämna. The gap drops down to 25’’ at the bottom of the final climb of the day.
Arrieta and Tarling up the ante and push their advantage to 35’’… But Victor Campenaerts (Visma-Lease a Bike) takes the reins of the bunch. The lead duo are caught as Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious) attacks just before the summit.
The French climber’s move is nullified, but Harold Tejada (XDS Astana) counter-attacks and rapidly opens a gap of 10’’. The Colombian flies on the downhill and eventually takes the biggest win of his career 6’’ ahead of Dorian Godon (Ineos Grenadiers), the fastest in a bunch where Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) safely retained the leader’s yellow and white jersey.
