Carcassonne: Tim Wellens of UAE Team Emirates-XRG claimed his first Tour de France stage victory on stage 15, breaking away on the final climb of the 169.3km route from Muret to Carcassonne.
According to BBC, Wellens, who has been supporting race leader Tadej Pogacar in the initial stages of the Tour, was liberated from his duties as a domestique for the day. Capitalizing on this opportunity, he launched a decisive attack on the last climb, ultimately securing a commanding win by one minute and 28 seconds. Fellow Belgian Victor Campenaerts finished second, while French two-time world champion Julian Alaphilippe took third place.
Pogacar maintained his stronghold on the general classification, finishing six minutes later in the peloton. He retains a lead of four minutes and 13 seconds over Jonas Vingegaard. The stage was anticipated to favor a breakaway, and Wellens seized his chance on the Pas du Sant climb, 55km from the finish.
Wellens broke away from a lead group that included Michael Storer, Quinn Simmons, and Campeanaerts. Although the group briefly reformed during the descent to Carcassonne, Wellens launched another attack with 44km to go, leaving the chasers behind.
Reflecting on his victory, Wellens expressed his satisfaction: "I felt super good. On the last climb of the day I felt really good. I knew the others felt really good but I knew I had to go solo. At the top of the climb I found my moment and I felt I had the legs to keep it to the end."
Three-time Tour winner Pogacar expressed his joy for Wellens, stating, "I am more happy for him than when I win. Beyond happiness."
The Tour will continue on Tuesday with a challenging 171.5km stage from Montpellier, concluding with a significant ascent up Mont Ventoux. Pogacar commented on the grueling nature of the previous week, highlighting the demanding terrain and elevation gains. Despite his lead, he emphasized the need to remain vigilant, saying, "The gap is now big but we still have big mountains to come. We need to fight until the end."
