Australian Ben O'Connor won stage 18 of the 2025 Tour de France after an impressive solo effort up the final climb of the day, the formidable Col de la Loze. The Jayco-AlUla rider took the lead with 15 kilometers to go after breaking away from a breakaway group that included Einer Rubio and Matteo Jorgenson. Having fallen well behind in the general classification since his stage one crash in Lille, O'Connor masterfully managed his effort on the rough and grueling slopes of La Loze to claim his second Tour stage victory, following his victory in Tignes in 2021.
Pogacar keeps his hand on the yellow jersey
Tadej pogacar, in yellow since the Pyrenees, confirmed his grip on the general classification by taking second place on the stage, almost a minute behind the day's winner. The Slovenian resisted an attacking attempt by Jonas Vingegaard four kilometers from the summit, before producing his own effort in the final hectometers and gaining an additional fifteen seconds on his direct rival. Pogacar thus retains the overall lead with a lead of 4 minutes and 26 seconds over the Dane, and moves a little closer to a third Tour title.
A trying Col de la Loze for the podium contenders
The Col de la Loze once again played its role as the deciding factor in the Alps. From the first climbs of the Glandon, the first climb of the day, the peloton was reduced to a trickle under the leadership of the favorites' teams. The rest of the stage saw the main climbers attack, but without a real duel until the final kilometers. Vingegaard attempted a sharp attack, quickly neutralized by Pogacar, before the latter put in a burst of speed under the flamme rouge. In a game of observation between the two leaders, some outsiders like O'Connor and Rubio were able to escape.
French failures and redistribution in the top 10
On the French side, Kevin Vauquelin, who had previously been sixth overall, suffered on the Madeleine and then the Loze. Dropped ten kilometers from the finish, he lost several minutes and fell back in the standings to Felix Gall. Jordan Jegat, also well-placed at the start of the stage, suffered a similar fate. Leading the young riders, Florian Lipowitz, who struggled in the final kilometers, saw Oscar Onley close in on his third place, just 22 seconds behind him. Thanks to his victory, Ben O'Connor moved into the top 10 overall.
