Richard Carapaz Wins Tour de France Stage 18 at Orcières-Merlette

Carapaz Breaks Through With Masterclass Attack to Orcières-Merlette

Richard Carapaz delivered the breakthrough stage victory EF Education-EasyPost had hunted throughout the three-week race. The 33-year-old Ecuadorian played a patient tactical game across the 185.2-kilometer mountain stage starting in Voiron, ultimately launching a decisive acceleration inside the final four kilometers of the category one summit finish.

EF Education-Easypost brought a team to the 2026 Tour de France to hunt stage wins and they finally have one after Richard Carapaz attacked from a small group to win stage 18 at Orcières-Merlette. It was the perfect end to a superb performance from the Ecuadorian, who played his cards perfectly as the race reached the Alps. The 33-year-old Ecuadorian raced with grit and heart. The Giro d’Italia winner and former Olympic champion hails from the high mountains of Ecuador where he started racing as a 16-year-old for his local club. He returns each winter to help the next generation of children from his hometown of Playa Alta get started in the sport they dream of conquering like him. Richard has stood on the podium of all three grand tours and won over 20 professional races. When Richie wins, he wins with style. He is never afraid to attack and can sense exactly the right moment to go. That is how he won his Olympic gold medal and his Giro d’Italia. This is his fourth year racing with EF Education-EasyPost.

The victory is the first one for the EF Education-EasyPost team at this Tour. It also vaulted the 33-year-old Carapaz into 10th position in the overall general classification standings. Carapaz turned EF Education-EasyPost’s Tour de France around on Thursday, winning stage 18 of the race. The Ecuadorian rider was part of the day’s break and was one of six to push ahead inside the final 46km of racing. He unleashed two surges inside the final 4km, with the second of those fully snapping the elastic and carrying him clear of American rider Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike), Mauro Schmid (Jayco AlUla) and Valentin Paret-Peintre.

It was a special day, to come back and win again at the Tour really means a lot,” he said. “It was a beautiful stage and I dedicate it to my family. “We tried to win many times to breakaway but it was impossible to arrive. I was paying attention to all the splits and I was ready when Quick-Step attacked. That was the key moment. I knew the final climb was hard and it was good. I waited for my moment and I could really enjoy.”

Richard Carapaz, EF Education-EasyPost rider

“I had to be determined to win. This is my style, to be aggressive. I give everything I have, this is the person I am. I had the legs and the head to make it today.”

Richard Carapaz

“It was a special day, to come back and win again at the Tour really means a lot,” Carapaz said. “It was a beautiful stage and I dedicate it to my family.”

Richard Carapaz

How the Decisive Breakaway Unfolded in the French Alps

The profile of today’s stage was custom-designed for a large breakaway, and after plenty of skirmishing on the category one Côte d’Engins, eventually a 14-rider front group achieved some separation. Crucially, it contained Mads Pedersen — eager to make up the green jersey ground he ceded to Jasper Philipsen in yesterday’s stage — with today’s intermediate sprint not arriving until almost 130km into the stage. Item 1 of 5 Cycling – Tour de France – Stage 18 – Voiron to Orcieres-Merlette – Orcieres-Merlette, France – July 23, 2026 EF Education – EasyPost’s Richard Carapaz celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win stage 18 REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes [1/5] Cycling – Tour de France – Stage 18 – Voiron to Orcieres-Merlette – Orcieres-Merlette, France – July 23, 2026 EF Education – EasyPost’s Richard Carapaz celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win stage 18 REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab Carapaz wins Tour de France stage 18 Pogacar retains overall lead Pedersen extends lead in points classification. ORCIERES MERLETTE, France, July 23 (Reuters) – Ecuadorean Richard Carapaz launched a decisive attack during the final climb ​to Orcieres-Merlette to secure a solo victory in stage 18 of the Tour de ‌France on Thursday.

Richard Carapaz achieved a victory of great merit in stage 18 of the Tour de France 2026, contested between Voiron and Orcières-Merlette over 185.2 kilometers. The Ecuadorian was the strongest rider in a high-level breakaway and decided the day with a decisive attack in the last four kilometers of the final ascent. Mauro Schmid finished second, 45 seconds behind, while Matteo Jorgenson completed the podium. Valentin Paret-Peintre was fourth and came very close to taking the lead in the mountain classification. Behind, the main contenders for the general classification crossed the finish line grouped together.

Richard Carapaz achieved a career Tour de France stage win from the breakaway on Thursday’s stage 18, where he soloed away from a select group of escapees on the final climb to Orcières-Merlette. The 33-year-old Ecuadorian attacked and attacked again in the closing kilometers until he found some breathing room, and then he opened up a big gap to those behind. He took the win 45 seconds ahead of Mauro Schmid (Jayco-AlUla) in second, with Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) taking third on the day. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and the rest of the peloton arrived a few minutes later.

Illness Hits UAE Team Emirates as Pogačar Maintains Yellow Jersey

Meanwhile, sickness appears to be making its way through overall leader Tadej Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad after key domestique Brandon McNulty abandoned the race mid-stage. Slovenian Pogacar remains in the yellow jersey by four minutes 32 seconds over Belgium’s Remco Evenepeol of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and six minutes 51 seconds over UAE team-mate Isaac del Toro of Mexico. Thursday’s mountain stage saw Tadej Pogacar finish a few minutes behind and maintain his significant overall lead. It was the 33-year-old Carapaz’s first stage win at this year’s race. He was not chased down by Pogacar because he is in 10th spot. After moving ahead about 3.5km from the summit, Carapaz raced clear. He was 45 seconds ahead of Swiss rider Mauro Schmid and American Matteo Jorgenson.

Classification Battles Intensify in the Tour de France

Richard Carapaz raced aggressively and smartly to take a Tour de France stage win, this time atop the Orcières-Merlette climb, on stage 18. It also boosted Carapaz’s chances of taking the king of the mountains’ jersey, currently held by yellow jersey wearer Tadej Pogačar (UAE Emirate-XRG), who finished minutes behind. He is now seven points back. In addition to the victory, it also moved him up to tenth place in the general classification, and together with Valentin Paret-Peintre, he is closing in on Tadej Pogacar for the polka-dot jersey.

A throwback in so many ways, Richard Carapaz is one of the most entertaining riders in the men’s peloton. In today’s newsletter, we analyse Richard Carapaz’s (EF Education-EasyPost) emphatic stage win, the illness affecting Tadej Pogačar’s UAE Team Emirates-XRG team, whether it was a mistake for rivals not to attack the yellow jersey, and Mads Pedersen’s extended lead in the race for green.