GC update Tour de France 2025 stage 18 - 4:26 minutes separate Pogacar and Vingegaard into final mountain stage

Stage 18 of the Tour de France promised and it delivered. The queen stage of the race saw all-out attacks from very far away, despite the stage ending in it's most difficult and highest-altitude climb of all. But Tadej Pogacar passed the test in style, surviving the raid of Team Visma | Lease a Bike and Jonas Vingegaard.

The yellow jersey had to respond to a very strong attack on the Col de la Madeleine, carefully crafted and executed by the Dutch team after a full leadout and with a rider to bridge across to out front. Pogacar resisted there, and then once again on the Col de la Loze, where a small acceleration in the end still earned him 9 seconds on the road, and 2 gained in bonifications. Pogacar will go into stage 19 with 4:26 minutes on his big rival.

Florian Lipowitz will go in third place, albeit one that is much more sensitive. The German went on a risky attack between the two final climbs and then later payed for it on the Col de la Loze. He lost quite some time on his direct rivals and holds only a mere 22 seconds over Oscar Onley who continues to impress and can not only steal the podium spot but the white jersey from Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe's shoulders.

Primoz Roglic maintains his fifth place after a day spent in the breakaway but with a time loss on Onley that will come in sour after the huge lead the team had over him at one point. Felix Gall moved up to sixth after overtaking Kévin Vauquelin who nevertheless maintains his consistency; Tobias Johannessen impressed by showing great legs after his Mont Ventoux disaster and keeps his eighth place, followed by Ben Healy and Ben O'Connor who benefited from his breakaway win to jump over the spot of Jordan Jegat. Carlos Rodríguez, 10th after yesterday's stage, did not start the stage after being diagnosed with a fractured pelvis.