thecyclingdane

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.

Jasper Philipsen finally got his reward at the Tour de France 2026, sprinting to victory on Stage 17 after a perfectly executed lead-out from Mathieu van der Poel. After several near misses throughout this year's race, the Belgian delivered when it mattered most to claim his first stage win of the Tour and reignite the battle for the green jersey.
In this episode, we break down Philipsen's long-awaited victory, Van der Poel's incredible lead-out, and how the points classification has become one of the most exciting battles of the race, with Mads Pedersen's lead now reduced to just seven points.
We also discuss Tadej Pogačar safely defending the yellow jersey, Adam Yates' difficult day after battling illness, the key tactical moments that shaped the stage, and what today's result means ahead of the brutal Alpine showdown on Stage 18.

Stage 16 of the Tour de France 2026 delivered both triumph and heartbreak. Remco Evenepoel produced another world-class time trial to take victory and cut into Tadej Pogačar's overall lead, but the day was overshadowed by Florian Lipowitz's devastating high-speed crash, which forced the German to abandon the race while battling for a top overall finish.
In this episode, we analyse Evenepoel's dominant performance, Pogačar's impressive ride to defend the yellow jersey, and what Lipowitz's withdrawal means for the general classification. We also discuss the battle for the podium, the standout rides of the day, and what to expect as the Tour heads into its decisive final mountain stages.

The second rest day of the Tour de France 2026 has arrived, but after Stage 15, the entire race has been transformed.
A dramatic day in the mountains completely changed the battle for yellow. Jonas Vingegaard’s Tour challenge came to an end after his crash, while Remco Evenepoel delivered a huge statement performance to take victory and establish himself as Tadej Pogačar’s biggest remaining challenger.
In this rest day podcast, we analyse how Stage 15 has reshaped the Tour de France, what Vingegaard’s absence means for the final week, and whether anyone can still challenge Pogačar for the yellow jersey.
We discuss Remco Evenepoel’s incredible rise into the GC battle, Isaac del Toro’s chances of reaching the podium, whether Pogačar has been completely untouchable so far, and the key moments that could decide the final week of racing.
After 15 stages, the Tour de France has entered a new chapter. The question now is whether anyone can stop Tadej Pogačar from winning another historic yellow jersey.

Stage 15 of the Tour de France delivered one of the biggest shocks of the race. Jonas Vingegaard's Tour came to a heartbreaking end after a high-speed crash forced the Visma-Lease a Bike leader to abandon, completely changing the general classification and the battle for yellow.
While the peloton was still processing the news, Remco Evenepoel produced a brilliant ride to outsprint Tadej Pogačar on the brutal finish to Plateau de Solaison and claim his first road stage victory of the 2026 Tour. Pogačar strengthened his grip on the yellow jersey, but the race was overshadowed by the loss of his biggest rival.
In this episode, we break down the crash that ended Vingegaard's Tour, analyse how it changes the race for the final week, discuss Remco Evenepoel's superb performance, and examine UAE Team Emirates-XRG's tactics with Isaac del Toro. We also look at the updated general classification and ask what the final week now holds without the sport's biggest rivalry.