BELGIAN rider Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) claimed his maiden Tour de France stage victory on Sunday (Monday, July 21, 2025, PH time) by launching a decisive attack on the descent into Carcassonne.
His win came as teammate and three-time champion Tadej Pogačar further solidified his grip on the yellow jersey.
Wellens’ triumph marks a significant milestone in his career, making him the 113th rider in history to achieve stage wins in all three Grand Tours.
He finished one minute and 28 seconds ahead of Victor Campenaerts and one minute and 36 seconds clear of a chasing trio including Julian Alaphilippe, Wout van Aert and Axel Laurance.
“I had the opportunity, I took it, and I had legs to finish it,” Wellens remarked after his victory. “But of course I trade my victory directly for a yellow with Tadej in Paris.”
Pogačar, along with his closest rivals Jonas Vingegaard and Florian Lipowitz, crossed the finish line in a large peloton six minutes and seven seconds behind Wellens.
This result allowed the Slovenian sensation to maintain his commanding overall lead: 4:13 over Vingegaard and 7:53 over Lipowitz.
The 169-kilometer stage, starting in Muret and concluding in the medieval city of Carcassonne, began with a chaotic crash in the peloton.
The incident, seemingly caused by a cobbled traffic island, affected numerous riders, including Alaphilippe and Lipowitz. While Alaphilippe appeared to injure his left shoulder, all riders were able to continue.
Pogačar, who had initially ridden ahead, was advised via radio to help calm the pace of the bunch, allowing Vingegaard and Lipowitz to rejoin after the crash. By the time the peloton regrouped, they were approximately 40 seconds behind a 15-rider breakaway that included Wellens.
Wellens was part of a four-man leading group with Campenaerts, Michael Storer and Quinn Simmons as they ascended the challenging 2.9-kilometer, 10.2 percent incline Pas du Sant.
Observing that chasing riders like Carlos Rodriguez, Warren Barguil, Aleks Vlasov and Alexey Lutsenko were gaining, Wellens strategically waited for them to bridge the gap before launching his solo attack with 43.5 kilometers to go.
He recognized that the upcoming downhill terrain would make it difficult for his rivals to respond.
“On the last climb of the day I felt really good,” Wellens stated. “I saw the others also felt really good, but I knew I had to go solo and at the top of the climb I found my moment.”
In a notable moment of confusion, third-placed Alaphilippe celebrated as he crossed the line, having out-sprinted Van Aert and Laurance.
He believed he had won the stage, only to be informed that two riders had already finished ahead of him. Raphaël Meyer, team manager for Alaphilippe’s Tudor Pro Cycling Team, later clarified that Alaphilippe’s radio was damaged in the early crash, preventing communication during the stage.
The Tour de France now heads into its second rest day on Monday (Tuesday in PH) before resuming competition. The race is set to conclude next weekend in Paris. / FROM THE WIRES