Richard Carapaz emerged victorious in stage 18 of the Tour de France, leading a breakaway group of six riders to the finish line at the winter sports destination of Orcières-Merlette. However, concerns have arisen regarding the health of the race leader, Tadej Pogacar, and his UAE Team Emirates XRG, which has been impacted by a virus since the rest day on Monday.
The situation worsened for Pogacar’s team after Adam Yates struggled throughout the stage to Voiron, and Brandon McNulty withdrew from the race with 21 kilometers remaining. Additionally, teammates Tim Wellens and Florian Vermeersch faced challenges during the demanding stage that featured five categorized climbs, culminating in a steep seven-kilometer ascent to the finish line.
At the start of the stage in Voiron, Wellens indicated that several team members were feeling unwell and mentioned experiencing a sore throat himself. Looking ahead to the upcoming mountain finishes at Alpe d’Huez on Friday and Saturday, Pogacar, who currently holds a 4-minute and 32-second lead over second-placed Remco Evenepoel, has reasons to feel anxious.
“I’m disappointed that Brandon couldn’t finish. We’ll assess the situation over the next two days, but Adam is improving, and we’ll adapt as needed,” Pogacar stated. “I believe we can handle it. It’s the third week, and all teams are facing difficulties. There are riders struggling all around on a stage like today. We will keep pushing, and I have faith in our ability to succeed.”
Speculations about the extent of illness within the UAE Team Emirates XRG were fueled by Pogacar’s choice to wear black shorts instead of his usual yellow. McNulty’s withdrawal may also have been influenced by injuries he sustained after being struck by a car during his reconnaissance of Tuesday’s time trial.
Carapaz, the former Giro d’Italia champion, who previously won a mountain stage at Superdévoluy in 2024, narrowly avoided a collision with an enthusiastic fan during the race. He managed to recover from this mid-stage incident to secure a gritty victory with a decisive late attack.
In a stage where the leading contenders temporarily held back, riders who had previously attempted breakaways made one last effort for success. This included the Netcompany Ineos team, directed by Geraint Thomas, which has yet to secure a stage win this year despite several tries.
With time running short, Thomas characterized this Tour as “challenging” for the British team. Egan Bernal and Thymen Arensman attempted to join the pivotal move but were unsuccessful. The breakaway that ultimately formed consisted of Carapaz, Matteo Jorgenson—who is filling in for the absent Jonas Vingegaard at Visma Lease-a-bike—and Mauro Schmid, who had already claimed a stage victory for Jayco AlUla in Belfort.
Carapaz has consistently proven to be a strong competitor in the Tour’s mid-mountain stages, and once again, he showcased his strength by pulling away from his rivals in the final kilometers. The EF Education-EasyPost rider crossed the finish line a full 45 seconds ahead of both Schmid and Jorgenson. The focus now shifts to the demanding challenges of Alpe d’Huez this weekend, with Pogacar appearing more vulnerable than at any point this season.
