On Stage 13 of the 2025 Tour de France, Tadej Pogačar stormed the Loudenvielle to Peyragudes uphill time trial — 10.9 km of pure pain, ending with a 16% wall to the altiport finish. But how powerful was this effort?
Let’s break it down.
1. The Effort at a Glance
Segment Loudenvielle → Peyragudes⏱️
Duration: 23:00 minutes
Distance: 10.9 km
Elevation Gain: 635 m
Avg Power: 464 watts
W/kg: ~7.1 (at 65 kg)
Steepest Ramp: 16% in final 900 m
This is one of the highest average power outputs ever estimated on a Tour de France climb of this length — a full-gas TT in a GC-deciding stage.
2. How We Calculated It
We split the effort kilometer by kilometer based on the official stage profile, taking into account the gradient, rider weight, equipment, altitude, and average speed (~28.1 km/h). Here’s what contributed to the 464W average:
ComponentEstimated Power🔼 Gravity (climbing 635 m)325 W🌬️ Aerodynamic drag53 W🔁 Rolling resistance17 W⚙️ Drivetrain loss (2.5%)+19 W✅ Total Output464 W
We assumed:
- Rider + bike weight: 65 + 6.8 = 71.8 kg
- CdA: 0.21 m²
- Air density: 1.06 kg/m³ (altitude-adjusted)
- Crr: 0.003 (typical for high-performance road tires)
This wasn't a steady climb — the first 2 km were flat, but the next 8 km averaged ~7.9%, with the last ramp hitting 10–16%.
During those steep final 16 minutes, Pogačar likely held ~500 W, peaking above 540 W on the altiport finish.
3. How It Stacks Up
Tadej Pogačar averaged ~7.1 W/kg over 23 minutes. To put that into perspective, here’s how that compares to the standard FTP categories used in cycling:
Rider Level
Typical W/kg FTP
WorldTour Pro 6.0 – 6.5 W/kg
National Elite 5.2 – 6.0 W/kg
Strong Amateur 4.2 – 5.2 W/kg
Weekend Warrior 3.2 – 4.2 W/kg
Beginner< 3.0 W/kg
Pogačar didn’t just ride near 7.1 W/kg — he did it after two weeks of Tour racing, under full pressure, on a steep mountain climb.
➡️ Want to see how your FTP or race-day power stacks up?
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4. Why Is Pogačar So Strong?
Tadej Pogačar continues to redefine what’s possible in modern cycling. Here’s why 464 W over 23 minutes is believable — even expected.
✅ Physiological ceiling
- 7.1 W/kg over 20–25 min is within the VO₂max and threshold range of top GC contenders
- Previous efforts (e.g. La Planche des Belles Filles 2020: ~6.6 W/kg for 36 min) confirm this level is realistic for Pogačar
✅ Perfect pacing
- First 2 km were efficient and aero, saving energy for the steep stuff
- He likely negative-split the effort — going harder as the road pitched up
✅ Race context
- This was a GC battle, not a steady tempo ride
- Motivation, adrenaline, and pacing precision were all at their peak
5. 🎯 Conclusion
Tadej Pogačar's 464-watt performance in the Peyragudes TT wasn't just world-class — it was Tour-winning.
He combined physiological brilliance, pacing mastery, and race-day focus to produce one of the most impressive mountain TT efforts in recent history.
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