Key events<\/p>\n
And that\u2019s it from me. Thank you very much for all your emails and for accompanying this amateur through stage 15, a day of bewildering drama which spelled the end of Jonas Vingegaard\u2019s Tour.<\/p>\n
A rest tomorrow and then the Alps await. Enjoy!<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.30 EDT<\/p>\n Vingegaard crashes out of Tour before Evenepoel wins stage 15<\/p>\n Jeremy Whittle\u2019s report is in:<\/p>\n Jonas Vingegaard crashed out of the Tour de France<\/a> on the approach to the Alpine climb of Plateau de Solaison, just hours after being woken up in the early hours of Sunday morning to undergo doping controls.<\/p>\n The double Tour champion, who also won this year\u2019s Giro d\u2019Italia, climbed gingerly into a race ambulance, his right arm in a sling, after falling as the main peloton exited a roundabout in Bonneville.<\/p>\n Both Vingegaard and race leader Tadej Pogacar<\/a> were subjected to unexpected nocturnal doping controls prior to stage 15, as the race headed into the Savoyarde Alps. Vingegaard was tested at 2am by the ITA (International Testing Agency) and spoke about the experience before the stage began.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Pogacar: the 2am doping call could have been a factor in crash<\/p>\n \u201cWe [he and Vingegaard] are competitors and also kind of friends. The tour will not be the same without him. It got me thinking that maybe you are little less concentrated after the [early doping]. I don\u2019t blame that but it could be connected.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRemco sometimes needs a bit of a morale boost and today he was a rocket and is going to be a pain in the arse next week too.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>The GC standings<\/p>\n 1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates XRG) Share<\/a>The stage 15 top ten finishers<\/p>\n 1. Remco Evenepoel (BEL) Red Bull – BORA – 4:23:09 Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.10 EDT<\/p>\n In the TNT studio they\u2019re mulling over those final few hundred metres.<\/p>\n They all seem sure that Pogacar could have won if he\u2019d wanted to.\u201dI think he didn\u2019t because of Jonas. He never once accelerated, he didn\u2019t get out of his saddle in the last 100m.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>The winning rider: Evenepoel<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s amazing, I\u2019m literally trembling with emotion. It\u2019s been a hell of a day . I was actually feeling really bad at the start but better and better during the day.<\/p>\n \u201cI was racing with the best rider ever, it was great that I could follow his pace. I always get so many critics saying I cannot survive these climbs and it feels amazing. It means a lot. To win this beautiful stage was amazing, I was making efforts on the climb maybe 20 times on training camp.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is really bad news for Jonas and his team and the race that he\u2019s out, something you never want for anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n Isaac Del Toro congratulates Remco Evenepoel after the race. Photograph: Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.03 EDT<\/p>\n What a drama filled few hours. A big win for Evenepoel on unexpected terrain- the high mountains have always been his achilles heel.<\/p>\n The commentators speculate that Pogacar may not have wanted to win out of respect for Vingegaard, whose Tour has had a miserable end at the bottom of the plateau de Solsaison.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is a horrible way to end a tour,\u201d writes Nick Wayne. \u201cThe poor man\u2019s morale must be at rick bottom. I know everyone and their chainring were comparing him to Pog, but he was doing well enough to be on the podium. Whether that would have remained until Paris is now a pointless debate.<\/p>\n Wishing him a speedy recovery, and I hope he does sit out the Vuelta.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.56 EDT<\/p>\n It was the nutella that did it!<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Seixas takes fourth<\/p>\n He powers in ahead of Lipowitz.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Evenpoel wins stage 15!<\/p>\n A first road stage win of the Tour for Evenepoel! He charged with about 200m to go and Pogacar couldn\u2019t catch him. Del Toro rolls in third.<\/p>\n Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel cycles to the finish line to win the 15th stage. Photograph: Lo\u00efc Venance\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.49 EDT<\/p>\n 350m to go Uphill they go, wheel to wheel. Del Toro goes again, Evenpoel on his wheel, but here comes Pogacar\u2026.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 1km to go Del Toro attacks, followed by Evenpoel!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 1.3km to go Del Toro is riding his way into the white jersey and has made a miraculous recovery from the crash at the bottom of the mountain. The front three are still bunched together.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 2km to go Pog looks over his shoulder. Evenepoel briefly takes a turn at the front but now the lead is back with the yellow jersey. Cow bells, flags, horns.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 3km to go Pog, head down, leads the group of three. Seixas and Lipowitz are 33 seconds behind. The crowd applaud and urge them upwards.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 3.5km to go Pidcock drifts backwards. Evenpoel looks better than Del Toro up with Pog at the front.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 4km to go Seixas and Lipowitz drop Ayuso, and are now fourth and fifth.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 4.6km to go Simmons has been hauled in and passed by. Yates drops back and Pogacar takes the lead, followed by teammate Del Toro and Evenepoel.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 5.4km to go Yates is now leading Pogacar, Evenpoel and Del Toro. Pidcock has been dropped. Simmons still 16 seconds ahead.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 6km to go Pogacar, Del Toro and Evenpoel have Yates, Pidcock and Voisard in their sights.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 6.5km to go Lipowitz, Seixas and Ayuso have been dropped by the peloton. Pogacar acting as domestique for Del Toro. In the blink of an eye he\u2019s reduced the deficit to 45 seconds behind Simmons<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 7.2km to go Pogacar is now setting the pace at the front of the peloton. Martinez has dropped off the back.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 8km to go Schmid looks done. Simmons stretches his lead to 21 seconds over the Pidcock group, currently led by Yates.<\/p>\n Quinn Simmons of Lidl-Trek in action. Photograph: Guillaume Horcajuelo\/EPAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.25 EDT<\/p>\n 8.5km to go Simmons attacks, draws up to Schmid and goes ahead, to the pleasure of his watching dad. Pidcock\u2019s group are 12 seconds behind. The peloton are gaining \u2013 1.37 adrift.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 9.5km to go Schmid pushes on. Pidcock licks his lips and leads the chasing group of Simmons and Voisard and Yates. And the gap drops to 10 seconds.<\/p>\n Felix Groschartner who was involved in the crash with Vingegaard is hurting. He swaps bikes and soldiers on.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 10km to go Red Bull take over at the front of the peloton after a radio message. They\u2019ve got 2.27 to catch and they\u2019re starting to motor.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 10km to go The final, brutal climb begins. Schmid has 28 seconds on the chasing group.<\/p>\n Many thanks to the Tour de France<\/a> for this detail: With its impressive figures – 11.3 km of ascent with an average gradient of 9% -, the climb to Plateau de Solaison makes its debut in great fashion on the roads of the Tour de France.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the 47th climb to be classified HC since the introduction of this category in 1979. That year, only Col du Galibier and L\u2019Alpe d\u2019Huez were HC.<\/p>\n The last climb to join the list of HC ascents was Col de Vars, in 2024, but it was far from being a novelty, having been previously classified as a cat. 1 or even cat. 2 ascent. The most recent HC climb introduced in the Tour is the Col de la Loze, with the different sides used since 2020.<\/p>\n Swiss cyclist Mauro Schmid of Team Jayco AlUla in action. Photograph: Guillaume Horcajuelo\/EPAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.19 EDT<\/p>\n 14km to go While Vingegaard\u2019s Tour was coming to a painful close, the race shapeshifted. The lead at the front has grown. Schmid has 19 seconds over Group Pidcock and 2.53 to the peloton.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Vingegaard went down coming into a tight corner, his front wheel clippping a kerb. As he climbs into the ambulance, his right arm is in a sling. The commentators immediately bring up that 2am drug test.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.46 EDT<\/p>\n Vingegaard is out of the race<\/p>\n Ah no. He\u2019s being packed into an ambulance and that\u2019s the end of his Tour. Del Toro was involved in the crash too, but got back up quickly.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.06 EDT<\/p>\n A crash<\/p>\n Vingegaard is down.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 23km to go Schmid is maintaining his lead of 18 seconds over Group Pidcock. One minute 17 behind are Baudin, Paret-Peintre, Vauquelin and Van Wilder, while the Peloton push on adrift by 2\u201910\u201d.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 27km to go A field of liver and white cows lounge in a field as the leading group hurtle past \u2013 they\u2019ve got about another 18k before they hit the imposing slopes of the Plateau de Solaison. But they\u2019re losing time on the peloton who have hit beast mode \u2013 now 2.19 behind.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 32km to go Schmid makes a break for glory, and rapidly has ten seconds on Pidcock. Further back, Campenaerts has dropped back and now leads the peloton for Visma.<\/p>\n Good afternoon William Preston!<\/p>\n \u201cNormally, this is the best time of the year for me. Work wise, there\u2019s a lot of people away on holiday so it\u2019s quiet and I\u2019d hit up ITV on the tellybox and really enjoy the days.<\/p>\n \u201cThis year, it\u2019s only the superb coverage on this website, as the broadcasts are paywalled away, that makes the thrilling heroics of the breakaway come to life, or the peleton – a word I can never spell \u2013 getting a stomp on to close them down.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s still the best thing in the world, but exists in words at the moment, and that\u2019s also fine.\u201d<\/p>\n It was a stinker of a decision wasn\u2019t it. Hope we can help fill a few of a gaps.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 36km to go Simmons takes over the pace-making briefly, tries to grab a bottle of water but can\u2019t holds on and darts a dirty look at the responsible team-member. Schmid and Costiou have rejoined the lead group. The lead group hurl themselves over the penultimate climb with KOM points for Pidcock (2) and Simmons (1).<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 40km to go The category three Cote du Mont awaits. The lead group of five \u2013 Yates, Pidcock, Simmons, Rubio and Voisard – digs into the 7.6 per cent slope. Costiou is 8 seconds behind them, Schmid 19, and the peloton adrift by 2 mins 53.<\/p>\n \u201cJust for Matt Pennifold\u2019s query on the \u2018fun\u2019 jersey,\u201d writes Guy Hornsby. \u201c I\u2019m with him there, though I guess it depends on your definition of fun. My vote would go to Paret-Peintre, who always seems to be in the action. Also, a massive wistful shout to the \u2018Combination\u2019 jersey<\/a>, which had a beautiful but short-lived life until 1989. That always takes me back to the glorious era of Lemond, Fignon et al. A different time.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.37 EDT<\/p>\n 45km to go Rowdily enthusiastic crowds are five deep at the summit. Simmons takes the maximum KOM points, followed by Pidcock (8), Voisard (6), Yates (4), Rubio (2) and Costiou (1). But Simmons has been caught, with Pidcock on the charge on the descent.<\/p>\n Quinn Simmons of Lidl-Trek greets a spectator. Photograph: Guillaume Horcajuelo\/EPAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.39 EDT<\/p>\n 48km to go Simmons\u2019s gap is now 15 seconds over Pidcock\u2019s group. He\u2019s got 500m to the summit. And he\u2019s putting time into the peloton as well \u2013 now 3\u201908\u201d behind.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 49km to go Van Wilder and Schmid are faltering at the back of the leading group. And now Simmons attacks with gusto! He\u2019s soon got three, four, five metres on Pidcock.<\/p>\n Hello Alistair Connor:\u201cYou\u2019ve got to admire his persistence, but the conventional wisdom says Pidcock should concentrate on improving his overall place, because he is too highly ranked to be allowed \u00e0 breakaway stage win. I think it\u2019s just his temperament, which is no doubt better suited to one-day races.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 51km to go Pidcock still at the front as they squeeze past the throngs of spectators at a horrifying 12 per cent gradient. The peloton are still 2.42 behind, led with gumption by Visma lease a bike.<\/p>\n Britain’s Tom Pidcock, right, and Quinn Simmons of the U.S., second from right, ride in the break away group. Photograph: Mosa\u2019ab Elshamy\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.31 EDT<\/p>\n 52km to go Pidcock hits the front and pulls apart the lead group. Both Visma riders are now dropped, but Yates is still holding on at the back.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 52km to go \u201cWith the steep climbs we\u2019ve got coming, it is every man for himself,\u201d say TNT. People are dropping off the front group including Healy. They\u2019re going hard at the front of the lead group, but the peloton are gaining.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 55km to go Things are about to get tough. The riders start the 4.6km climb at an average of 11 per cent gradient \u2013 the Col de la Croisette. Van Moer is riding hard at the front of the breakaway, Pidcock is on his shoulder. Nearly two minutes between them and the peloton.<\/p>\n The peloton cycle to the Col de la Croisette. Photograph: Anne-Christine Poujoulat\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.52 EDT<\/p>\n 61km to go Vinokurov is caught.<\/p>\n \u201dMusing over whether there should a jersey for the rider having the most fun\u201d writes Matt Pennifold, \u201cbut I suspect that Poge would win this as well.\u201d<\/p>\n I love this idea, but what colour would it be? It is hard to out-fun the polka-dots. I\u2019ll throw Pidcock and Carapaz into the ring too.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 65km to go Vinokurov makes another break for freedom. In the front pack one of the riders has radioed to say no-one in the group wants to work with Pidcock.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.52 EDT<\/p>\n 68km to go I can tell you, thanks to the commentators, that this region of France is very famous for its plums. A juicy one for Tom Pidcock who in the virtual GC standings has moved up to fourth \u2013 though he is very unlikely to be there at the end of this race. The front group still have a 2 mins 28 gap.<\/p>\n Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team’s British rider Tom Pidcock (2nd R) cycles in a breakaway. Photograph: Anne-Christine Poujoulat\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.51 EDT<\/p>\n 70km to go A morning interview with Evenpoel, who we learn had one big spoon of Nutella for breakfast. It\u2019s currently powering him along in the peloton, who trail the leading pack by 2 mins 50.<\/p>\n On they go, past a chalked Appuie Bon Dieu across the road. The sun is out, the energy high<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 78 km to go The break has a 2 mins 2o buffer as I type. They have, I think, just entered the beautiful departement of Haute-Savoire.<\/p>\n \u201cAfternoon Tanya,\u201d lovely to hear from you James, (travelling back from Norwich.)<\/p>\n \u201dInteresting to see the usual suspects (Pidcock, Healy et al.) in the breakaway again today. Whilst their bravery is to be commended, I can\u2019t help but feel that these repeated efforts are somewhat futile when facing the sheer artillery of Team UAE. They\u2019re like a two-wheeled \u2018Light Brigade\u2019, charging into Pogacar and UAE\u2019s valley of Death.\u201d<\/p>\n Half a league onward \u2013 I love the fearlessness of it, despite the inevitability of UAE. It must take some mentality to do that.<\/p>\n A vehicle from the Tour de France’s publicity caravan drives past mountain pastures near the finish area of the 15th stage. Photograph: Lo\u00efc Venance\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.28 EDT<\/p>\n 81km to go Romain Bardet thinks that the breakaway \u201cis a tactical move from most of the GC teams. [The final climb] is one of the most brutal climbs on the TDF. To have a teammate in the front group will be a massive advantage.\u201d<\/p>\n Visma and UAE are at the front of the peloton.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 87km to go The wide beautiful waters of the Rhone accompany the breakaway, which now has one minute 40 on the peloton. A 4km 3 per cent gradient climb on the way. And things are relatively gentle until the Col de la Croisette rises in about 40km.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 91km to go The break suddenly has a minute and rising on the peloton<\/p>\n Tobias Johannessen, who was riding his brother\u2019s bike after an earlier puncture, gets his own bike back<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 98km to go Vinokurov has been caught by a group including Healy, Paret-Peintre, Pidcock, Bernal, Rubio and some satellite riders for the big teams. They are now 15 seconds ahead of the peloton.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 101km to go Nico Vinokurov, the Kazakhstan national champion, has made a lone break, and he\u2019s putting his foot down. He\u2019s 10 seconds ahead of the pack.<\/p>\n Nicolas Vinokurov before his breakaway. Photograph: Tim de Waele\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.30 EDT<\/p>\n 105km to go Well played EF education! They\u2019ve wheeled in the breakaway for their man Carapaz. Meanwhile, Jan Tratnik gets a new bike.<\/p>\n Solid Pogacar love from Nick Wayne. \u201cFirst the endless GOAT superlatives then the booing. C\u2019mon people, make your mind up. IMHO he\u2019s an amazing and admirable cyclist. Loved or not, he races clean and that\u2019s the bottom line.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 109km to go There aren\u2019t too many spectators at this stage, odd handfuls of people who look as if they\u2019ve pottered out from their front door five minutes before the train screams past. The group at the front still have 20 seconds on the chasing pack, with EF education working hard to join in.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 119 km to go \u201cWe need Carapaz in the breakaway today for KOM points,\u2019\u201d says the EF team radio. And the pink shirts lead the peloton.<\/p>\n
2. Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), +5\u201900’\u2019
3. Isaac del Toro (UAE Emirates XRG), +5\u201958’\u2019
4. Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM), +6\u201923’\u2019
5. Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), +6\u201948’\u2019<\/p>\n
hansgrohe
2. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team \u2060Emirates – XRG \u201c
3. Isaac Del \u2060Toro (MEX) UAE Team \u200bEmirates – XRG +6
4. Paul Seixas (FRA) Decathlon CMA CGM Team +58
5. Florian Lipowitz (GER) Red Bull – BORA – \u201c
hansgrohe
6. Lenny Martinez (FRA) Bahrain Victorious +1:57
7. Mattias Skjelmose (DEN) Lidl – Trek \u201c
8. Juan Ayuso (ESP) Lidl – Trek +2:00
9. \u2060Adam Yates (GBR) UAE Team Emirates – XRG \u201c
10. Quinn Simmons (USA) Lidl – Trek +2:16<\/p>\n