Richard Carapaz claimed victory on stage 18 of the Tour de France after a breakaway group of six riders reached the finish at the winter sports resort of Orcières-Merlette. The Ecuadorian cyclist secured the win following a decisive solo attack on the final climb, finishing 45 seconds ahead of Mauro Schmid and Matteo Jorgenson. The stage featured five categorized ascents, including a challenging seven-kilometer climb to the summit, testing both contenders and breakaway riders alike.
The race unfolded against a backdrop of concern for race leader Tadej Pogacar and his UAE Team Emirates XRG, which has been grappling with a virus that began affecting the squad after Monday’s rest day. The team’s difficulties intensified during stage 18 when American rider Brandon McNulty abandoned with 21 kilometers remaining, compounding an already weakened lineup. McNulty had been managing injuries sustained earlier in the Tour after being struck by a car while scouting a time trial course, which may have contributed to his withdrawal.
Team members Tim Wellens and Florian Vermeersch also showed signs of physical strain throughout the day. Wellens noted feeling unwell and revealed he had a sore throat ahead of the stage, suggesting that multiple team members were affected. Pogacar, who maintains a 4-minute 32-second lead over second-placed Remco Evenepoel, acknowledged the adversity but expressed cautious optimism about his and the team's ability to manage the challenges heading into the critical mountain stages on Alpe d’Huez over the weekend.
“I’m sad that Brandon could not finish,” Pogacar said after the stage. “We will see in the next two days, but Adam is getting better, and tomorrow we will go with the flow. I think we can manage. It’s the third week; all teams are suffering. There are bodies everywhere on a stage like today. We will keep fighting and I believe we can do it.”
Pogacar’s decision to wear black shorts instead of his usual yellow kit further fueled speculation about his health and the team's condition. Despite these concerns, the main contenders appeared to ride conservatively, with no significant attacks from the general classification leaders on the mountainous course.
Meanwhile, teams like Netcompany Ineos continued to seek a breakthrough. Directed by Geraint Thomas, who described this edition of the Tour as “tough going” for the British squad, riders such as Egan Bernal and Thymen Arensman made efforts to join breakaways but ultimately failed to impact the stage outcome.
Carapaz, who previously triumphed on a mountain stage at nearby Superdévoluy in 2024, once again demonstrated his strength on mid-mountain terrain. As the Tour approaches its decisive final days, attention now turns to this weekend’s punishing double ascents of Alpe d’Huez, where Pogacar’s dominance will be closely scrutinized amid ongoing concerns about his health and that of his supporting team.