Mike O'Connor
The 2026 Tour de France has been blown wide open after two-time champion Jonas Vingegaard crashed out of the race on a dramatic Stage 15, leaving Tadej Pogačar in complete control of the yellow jersey.
Vingegaard started the 183.9km stage from Champagnole to the summit finish at Plateau de Solaison trailing Pogačar by 4:30 overall, with one of his final opportunities to put pressure on the Slovenian before the race’s decisive final week.
Instead, his Tour came to a heartbreaking end.
With around 21km remaining, the Visma-Lease a Bike leader appeared to clip a roadside kerb before crashing heavily. The incident also brought down teammate Sepp Kuss and UAE Team Emirates-XRG riders Isaac Del Toro and Brandon McNulty.
Television pictures showed the Dane in obvious pain before he was helped into an ambulance with his right arm supported in a sling.
Visma-Lease a Bike later confirmed Vingegaard had suffered a fractured collarbone and multiple abrasions.
“Following a crash in Stage 15 of the Tour de France, Jonas sustained a fractured collarbone and multiple abrasions,” the team said.
“Due to the severity of the collarbone fracture, surgical intervention has been recommended and will be performed in the coming days. Join us in wishing Jonas a smooth recovery.”
The crash ends another chapter in one of cycling’s greatest modern rivalries. Since 2021, Vingegaard and Pogačar have dominated the Tour de France, sharing the last five editions between them before this year’s race.
Pogačar admitted the Tour would feel very different without his long-time rival.
“Since 2021 we’ve always been battling for victory,” he said after the finish.
“Maybe at the beginning we didn’t have the best relationship, but we became respectful rivals and I also think kind of friends. The Tour won’t be the same without him.”
The Slovenian also suggested Vingegaard’s disrupted sleep after a 2am anti-doping control may have contributed to the crash.
“Last night Jonas had doping control at 2am. Maybe you’re less concentrated after your sleep was ruined. I don’t blame that, but it could be connected. It was sad to see him leave.”
Evenepoel’s win “among biggest of his career”
While Vingegaard’s race was over, the battle for the stage victory continued.
Swiss rider Mauro Schmid led onto the final 11km climb before the favourites closed the gap. Pogačar gradually reeled in the breakaway with Isaac Del Toro and Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel glued to his wheel, the trio sweeping to the front inside the final five kilometres.
Evenepoel then produced a perfectly timed sprint inside the final 500 metres to claim his first Tour de France road stage victory, edging Pogačar into second with Del Toro finishing third.
The emotional Belgian said the victory was among the biggest of his career.
“It’s amazing, I’m literally trembling from emotion.
“You have to understand, I’m racing with the best guy ever. It’s a big step forward that I can follow this pace. I’ve had so many critics saying I can’t climb steep gradients, so this means a lot.”
With Vingegaard out of the race, Pogačar’s lead over Evenepoel has grown to five minutes, placing the four-time champion in a commanding position as he chases a fifth Tour de France title, and one that would see him equal the all-time record shared by Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.
For the Australians, the focus now shifts to stage hunting in the final week. Ben O’Connor and Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla), along with Michael Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling), remain in the race as opportunities become more limited before Paris.
Tour de France General Classification after stage 15
- Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) – 55:41:31
- Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) – +5:00
- Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) – +5:58
- Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) – +6:23
- Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) – +6:48
- Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) – +7:28
- Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) – +9:38
- Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious) – +10:28
- Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) – +10:59
- Jordan Jegat (TotalEnergies) – +19:26
Mike O’Connor – A keen cyclist, runner and photographer, Mike O’Connor is the Editor of Bicycling Australia. He manages the BA website and social media, and loves promoting the achievements of Australian cyclists.
