Race leader Tadej Pogacar's bid for another Tour de France victory has been cast into doubt after a virus reportedly swept through his UAE Emirates XRG team following Monday's rest day. The health concerns intensified during Stage 18, which saw Richard Carapaz claim a solo victory after a hard-fought breakaway to Orcières-Merlette.
The most significant blow to Pogacar's team came with the abandonment of American rider Brandon McNulty, who withdrew from the race with 21 kilometres remaining of Thursday's stage. McNulty had also been nursing injuries from a car collision during a time trial reconnaissance, but the team's wider health issues are now a major concern. Teammates Tim Wellens and Florian Vermeersch were also observed struggling at various points during the demanding stage, which featured five categorised climbs.
Speaking at the start of the stage in Voiron, Tim Wellens indicated that other riders within the team were unwell and revealed he himself had a sore throat. Despite holding a substantial lead of 4 minutes and 32 seconds over second-placed Remco Evenepoel, the looming mountain-top finishes on Alpe d’Huez this weekend present a formidable challenge for a potentially weakened team.
Pogacar acknowledged the difficulties, stating, "I'm sad that Brandon could not finish. We will see in the next two days but Adam is getting better, and tomorrow, we will go with the flow. I think we can manage. It’s the third week, all the teams are suffering. There are bodies everywhere, on a stage like today. We will keep fighting and I believe we can do it." His decision to wear black shorts instead of his usual yellow has also fuelled speculation regarding the extent of the team's health issues.
Meanwhile, Geraint Thomas's Netcompany Ineos team continued their search for a stage win, with Egan Bernal and Thymen Arensman attempting to join the decisive breakaway but ultimately falling short. Carapaz, a former Giro d’Italia champion, navigated a mid-race scare involving a spectator to secure his victory, finishing 45 seconds ahead of Matteo Jorgenson and Mauro Schmid. All attention now turns to the gruelling Alpe d’Huez stages, where Pogacar's resilience will be severely tested.