Tour de France 2026 Stage 18 Recap | Richard Carapaz's BRILLIANT Mountain Attack

Richard Carapaz produced one of the rides of the Tour de France 2026, launching a perfectly timed solo attack on the final climb to Orcières-Merlette to claim an unforgettable Stage 18 victory. The Ecuadorian judged his effort to perfection, holding off the chasing group to secure his ninth Grand Tour stage win and move into the top 10 on general classification. In this episode, we break down Carapaz's brilliant tactical ride, Mauro Schmid's impressive second-place finish, and Matteo Jorgenson's strong performance after another aggressive day in the mountains. We also analyse why Tadej Pogačar was happy to let the breakaway fight for victory as he safely defended the yellow jersey, while Remco Evenepoel and the other GC contenders chose not to attack ahead of the final two decisive stages. We also discuss the battle for the green jersey, where Mads Pedersen extended his advantage over Jasper Philipsen, the latest general classification standings, and what today's result means as the Tour heads towards the iconic climb of Alpe d'Huez.