Tour de France Stage 18: Carapaz Gives EF Education-Easypost A Huge Tour Stage Win - Outside Magazine

What the report says

Outside reported that Richard Carapaz of EF Education-EasyPost won Stage 18 of the 2026 Tour de France on Thursday, giving the American-registered team a long-sought stage victory. The Ecuadorian was in the main breakaway and made the decisive move on the final ascent to Orcières-Merlette, attacking twice inside the last four kilometers before riding alone to the finish.

Carapaz finished 45 seconds ahead of Mauro Schmid of Jayco AlUla and Matteo Jorgenson of Visma-Lease a Bike, with Valentin Paret-Peintre of Soudal Quick-Step 1:14 behind. Paret-Peintre had collected mountain points earlier in the stage but faded after Carapaz’s final acceleration. Outside noted that Carapaz previously won a Tour stage in 2024 and also took the King of the Mountains title that year.

The stage began in Voiron and was the first of three demanding Alpine days, featuring five categorized climbs and a category 1 summit finish. The key selection came with 46 kilometers remaining, when a smaller group separated from the break before Carapaz and Paret-Peintre joined the move. Mads Pedersen also strengthened his green jersey campaign by winning the intermediate sprint, extending his lead over Jasper Philipsen to 32 points with three days left.

In the general classification, race leader Tadej Pogačar finished safely with his main rivals, but Outside reported concerns for UAE Emirates-XRG after Brandon McNulty, who was ill, abandoned and Adam Yates lost nearly 30 minutes. With major climbing stages still ahead, the condition of Pogačar’s support riders could become a significant factor.