The summary of the victory of Ben O’Connor at the top of the Col de la Loze, during the 18ᵉ stage

Three days before the arrival of the Tour de France, the queen stage of the 2025 edition, 18^ecould have scratched the yellow jersey, Tadej Pogacar (Uae Team Emirates-XRG). But, Thursday, July 24, the Slovenian consolidated his place as a leader in the general classification. After climbing the first two alpine passes classified as off -category on his way, he distant the other favorites in the last meters of the third. Only Australian Ben O’Connor (Jayco-Alula), author of a small number of 15 kilometers alone, managed to cross the finish line, placed at the top of the Col de Loze (Savoie), before him.

What to remember

• Cador: Ben O’connor

How to negotiate a bittering in the general top 10? By winning the most terrible mountain events, of course! The Australian chicherly defended his chances on this stage which had 5,476 m of elevation gain. Already the winner of a Tour stage in 2021, in Tignes (Savoie), the Jayco-Alula climber covered the Col de la Loze (26.4 km at 6.5 %) at almost 22.5 km/h, resistant to the return of the favorites. The 29-year-old runner had escaped 42 km from the finish with Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-lease A Bike) and Einer Rubio (Movistar) before finishing the work alone and crossing the finish line with 1 min 45 s in advance on Tadej Pocagar.

Three climbs outside the category and as many different scenarios during this 18^e stage. During the first, the Col du Glandon (21.7 kilometers at 5.1 % average), a breakaway tried to get ahead, notably with its breast Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and the pea jersey, Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious). If the Frenchman managed somehow to arrive at the top first to take 20 points in the mountain classification, the rest was more difficult for him and his companions.

Because, in the peloton, the Visma-Lease a Bike team took matters into hand, focusing on a hypothetical bad day of Tader Pogacar. The teammates of Jonas Vingegaard succeeded themselves at the top of the group to harden the pace, up to a first attack of their leader in the Col de la Madeleine (12.2 kilometers at 7.9 %). The Slovenian followed, without ever being in difficulty, and the two men quickly returned to the breakaway, leaving to hope for a duel at the top in the last ascent, the endless pass of the Loze (26.4 kilometers at 6.5 %).

It was ultimately nothing. The two men were generally neutralized, leaving the field free to a new breakaway. Einer Rubio, Matteo Jorgenson and Ben O’Connor hastened to take a few lengths ahead even before the foot of the pass, then the Australian isolated himself to make the last 15 kilometers alone until the finish line.

The sanction attributed to French Lenny Martinez for being towed by the car of its technical director during an exchange of the can in the Col du Glandon. The 22 -year -old climber had in all cases been dispossessed of his polka dot jersey by Tadej Pogacar (105 points) and demoted in third place in the mountain classification.

• The sentence: “I am not sure I have lived such a hard step on the Tour, it was really very violent. »»

Jonas Vingegaard when the 18^e stage. Tadej Pogacar’s dolphin to general tried to bring the Slovenian to fall from his throne, without success. Exhausted, he finally fell in the last meters of the day and conceded an additional 11 seconds to his rival.

The note: C

The Visma-Lease A Bike team seemed ready to unravel Tadej Pogacar and launched the big maneuvers in the Madeleine pass. But the rest was not up to expectations, until there is a hint of boredom and a C in our rating system ranging from A to E.

• The general classification:

1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE TEAM Emirates-Xrg) a 66 h 55 min 42 s
2. Jonas Vingenge (Visma-Leese a Bike), à 4 min 26 s
3. Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), 11 min 01 s
4. Oscar Onley (Picnic-PostNL), à 11 min 23 s
5. Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), à 12 min 49 s
6. Felix Gall (Decathlon-Ag2r La Mondiale), 15 min 36 s
7. Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B & B Hotels), at 16 min 15 s
8. Tobias johnzens (uno-x mobility), à 18 min 31 s
9. Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost), à 25 min 41 s
10. Ben O’connor (Jayco-AlUla), à 29 min 19 s

🟡 The yellow jersey (individuel) : Treej Pogacar (Slovéne, Emirates-XRG Team)

🟢 The green jersey (points): Jonathan Milan (Italy, Lidl-Trek)

⚪ The white jersey (Best young): Florian Lipowitz (Germany, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe)

🚵 The polka dot jersey (Climber): Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia, UAE Team Emirates-XRG)