Arensman wins Tour de France's toughest stage after grueling solo effort

LUCHON-SUPERBAGNERES, France (AP) — Dutch rider Thymen Arensman won the Tour de France's toughest stage after a long solo effort over mammoth climbs and defending champion Tadej Pogačar increased his overall lead on Saturday.

Arensman, who rides for the Ineos-Grenadiers team, posted the biggest victory of his career. After crossing the finish line in the deep fog enveloping the ski resort of Superbagnères, Arensman lay exhausted on the road with his head in his hands.

“To be honest, I just wanted to experience the Tour, the biggest race in the world," he said. "Now, to win a stage in my first Tour, and to do it this way, it’s unbelievable, crazy.”

He went solo with 37 kilometers (23 miles) left from a breakaway, and quickly opened a comfortable lead. He started the final ascent to Superbagnères, which is more than 12 kilometers long, on his own and resisted the return of the main contenders.

It was Arensman’s second Grand Tour stage win, having previously won a stage at the 2022 Spanish Vuelta.

As Arensman posed no threat to the overall standings, Pogačar and his teammates controlled the race from the back, with the yellow jersey holder and his main challenger Jonas Vingegaard trailing by around three minutes with eight kilometers remaining.

Vingegaard tried a move with four kilometers left and Pogačar responded with ease. The two rivals then watched each other closely and Arensman crossed first at the summit, more than one minute ahead of the duo.

Having won the previous two stages in the Pyrenees, Pogačar settled for second place. He accelerated in the final section to gain more time on Vingegaard, who completed the stage podium.

“We can be happy and satisfied with the Pyrenees,” Pogačar said. “Today we did a super stage, riding at our own pace all day long.”

Overall, Pogačar increased his lead over Vingegaard to four minutes, 13 seconds, with Florian Lipowitz in third place, 7:53 off the pace after Remco Evenepoel abandoned.

Evenepoel, who was third overall, struggled early on as the peloton faced another day of suffering on climbs that are part of the Tour's lore such as the Col du Tourmalet, the Col d’Aspin, Col de Peyresourde and Superbagnères.

The Olympic champion was dropped on the ascent of the Tourmalet. Evenepoel won the opening time trial but suffered in the Pyrenees. After struggling during Friday’s uphill race against the clock to Peyragudes, he managed to keep his third place in the general classification, more than seven minutes behind Pogačar.

Riders will exit high mountains during a 169-kilometer ride from Muret to the medieval city of Carcassonne. Although the route could favor sprinters, the Côte de Saint-Ferréol and then the Pas du Sant, a 2.9-kilometer climb at 10%, could provide opportunities for bold challengers seeking a breakaway.

The race finishes next weekend in Paris.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/apf-sports

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, center, speeds down Tourmalet pass during the fourteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 182.6 kilometers (113.5 miles) with start in Pau and finish in Luchon Superbagneres, France, Saturday, July 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Belgium's Remco Evenepoel lost time in the twelfth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 180.6 kilometers (112.2 miles) with start in Auch and finish in Hautacam, France, Thursday, July 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, in second position, speeds downhill during the fourteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 182.6 kilometers (113.5 miles) with start in Pau and finish in Luchon Superbagneres, France, Saturday, July 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, speeds down Aspin pass during the fourteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 182.6 kilometers (113.5 miles) with start in Pau and finish in Luchon Superbagneres, France, Saturday, July 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Stage winner Netherlands' Thymen Arensman climbs during the fourteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 182.6 kilometers (113.5 miles) with start in Pau and finish in Luchon Superbagneres, France, Saturday, July 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

HANOI, Vietnam--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 13, 2026--

FPT, through its global IT services subsidiary FPT Software, has achieved ISO/IEC 42001:2023, the first global standard for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Management Systems. With this milestone, FPT became the first company in Vietnam and the second in Southeast Asia to earn this recognition, underscoring its commitment to responsible AI development and deployment with consideration for fairness and impartiality, privacy and security, safety, quality and robustness, governance, transparency and explainability.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260112494011/en/

The certification was issued by the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company SGS and qualified by ANAB (ANSI National Accreditation Board) - a leading U.S. accreditation body with global recognition. ISO/IEC 42001 specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving AI management systems, allowing organizations to effectively manage risks and opportunities associated with AI, balancing innovation with compliance.

Achieving ISO/IEC 42001:2023 reflects FPT’s capability in AI governance, encompassing ethics, risk management, transparency, compliance, and ensuring alignment with both business goals and societal values. It also strengthens FPT’s position as a trusted technology partner for global organizations, especially those in highly regulated industries such as banking and financial services, automotive, healthcare, energy, and the public sector. The milestone further solidifies FPT’s position as an AI-first company, strengthening its foundation for scaling AI responsibly while helping clients navigate evolving regulatory, ethical, and operational challenges associated with AI adoption.

“As an AI-first company, we pledge to prioritize safety, ethics and accountability at every stage of our AI lifecycle. By continuously governing AI development and implementation processes, we provide our clients and partners with the assurance that our solutions are built with responsibility, transparency and adhere to international excellence,” said Dao Duy Cuong, FPT Software EVP and Chief Digital & Technology Officer, FPT Corporation.

FPT actively promotes responsible AI development as a founding member of the AI Alliance led by IBM and Meta, and the Vietnam Ethical AI Committee. The company is committed to embedding rigorous AI governance across its global operations and solution portfolio, including its flagship AI platform FleziPT, which boosts productivity by 30%, accelerates development by 60% and reduces 50% in rework. The company also maintains co-creation partnerships with global leaders like AWS, Microsoft, SAP, and NVIDIA to deliver tailored solutions for industry-specific challenges. Supporting these efforts is a workforce of over 25,000 AI-augmented, globally certified engineers, and world-class infrastructure including cutting-edge AI Factories in Vietnam and Japan, which have been ranked among the world’s Top 40 fastest supercomputers. Expanding its AI footprint, FPT is developing a new Research Center in Gia Lai Province, Vietnam, which is expected to become a critical component of its global AI development network, supporting high-quality talent cultivation for both the local community and the nation.

About FPT

FPT Corporation (FPT) is a globally leading technology and IT services provider headquartered in Vietnam, operating in three core sectors: Technology, Telecommunications, and Education. Over more than three decades, FPT has consistently delivered impactful solutions to millions of individuals and tens of thousands of organizations worldwide. As an AI-first company, FPT is committed to elevating Vietnam’s position on the global tech map and delivering world-class AI-enabled solutions for global enterprises. FPT focuses on three critical transformations: Digital Transformation, Intelligence Transformation, and Green Transformation. In 2024, FPT reported a total revenue of USD 2.47 billion and a workforce of over 54,000 employees across its core businesses. For more information about FPT's global IT services, please visit https://fptsoftware.com.

FPT received ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certification during the certification award ceremony in Hanoi, Vietnam