Summary

  • Stage 18 of the Tour de France

  • The queen stage of this year's race with three iconic climbs

  • Tadej Pogacar aiming to defend yellow jersey

  • Jonas Vingegaard seeks to reduce deficit of four minutes and 15 seconds

  1. Postpublished at 16:55 British Summer Time 24 July

    So, Tadej Pogacar looks set to win his fourth Tour de France - but he still has one more mountain stage to overcome on Friday.

    That's all from me today. You can read the developing report on today's stage here.

    I'll be back tomorrow with live coverage of stage 19, which represents the last mountain stage of this year's race from Albertville to La Plagne over five leg-sapping ascents.

    Catch you then!

    Tadej PogacarImage source, Getty Images
  2. Stage 18 resultpublished at 16:50 British Summer Time 24 July

    1. Ben O'Connor (Jayco AlUla) 5hrs 3mins 47secs
    2. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), +1min 45secs
    3. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike), +1min 54secs
    4. Oscar Onley (Picnic PostNL), +1min 58secs
    5. Einer Rubio (Movistar), +2mins
  3. How it standspublished at 16:47 British Summer Time 24 July

    Poor Oscar Onley has barely caught his breath while trying to speak in his interview after the stage.

    He'll be in pain now, but what a position he has put himself in.

    1. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Emirates-XRG) 66hrs 55mins 42secs
    2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) +4mins 26secs
    3. Florian Lipowitz (Ger/Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +11mins 01secs
    4. Oscar Onley (GB/Picnic PostNL) +11mins 23secs
    5. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +12mins 49secs
  4. Postpublished at 16:40 British Summer Time 24 July

    What a ride by Ben O'Connor. A victory he will never forget.

    Ben O'ConnorImage source, Getty Images
  5. Postpublished at 16:30 British Summer Time 24 July

    Florian Lipowitz crosses the line just in time, but Oscar Onley is within 22 seconds of third place in the overall standings!

    An outstanding performance by the 22-year-old, who mixed it with the world's best on the biggest climb of this year's Tour de France.

  6. Postpublished at 16:28 British Summer Time 24 July

    Oscar Onley now waits to see how far behind Florian Lipowitz is.

    What a ride from the Briton. He needs two minutes to get himself on to the general classification podium...

  7. Pogacar distances Vingegaard for second placepublished at 16:27 British Summer Time 24 July

    Tadej Pogacar has completely left Jonas Vingegaard behind.

    A fourth Tour de France is surely his, barring disaster.

    He blazes past Einer Rubio for second place.

  8. Postpublished at 16:25 British Summer Time 24 July

    Oscar Onley is hanging on to Jonas Vingegaard as Tadej Pogacar shoots off in pursuit of some bonus seconds.

  9. O'Connor wins stage 18published at 16:25 British Summer Time 24 July
    Breaking

    Victory for Ben O'Connor at the highest point of the 2025 Tour de France!

    What a moment for the Australian.

  10. Postpublished at 16:24 British Summer Time 24 July

    1km to go

    Jonas Vingegaard just cannot shake off Tadej Pogacar.

    And Ben O'Connor will not be caught!

  11. Vingegaard attackspublished at 16:23 British Summer Time 24 July

    1km to go

    Here goes Jonas Vingegaard with one kilometre to go.

    He is followed by Tadej Pogacar... and Britain's Oscar Onley!

    Nobody is usually able to live with these two on the biggest climbs, but Onley is absolutely flying today.

  12. Postpublished at 16:19 British Summer Time 24 July

    2km to go

    It looks as though Tadej Pogacar has his attention fully fixed on defending his yellow jersey and isn't concerning himself with the stage victory.

    Ben O'Connor is into the final two kilometres with a two-minute and 50-second lead and you would suspect that will be enough to take the Australian to a huge stage victory.

  13. Postpublished at 16:16 British Summer Time 24 July

    4km to go

    Adam Yates leads Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Primoz Roglic and Oscar Onley as the main GC group is whittled down in the final kilometres.

    Florian Lipowitz has lost more than 30 seconds now.

    Ben O'Connor still has three minutes on the group of favourites and will be starting to believe now.

  14. Postpublished at 16:12 British Summer Time 24 July

    5km to go

    Jonas Vingegaard surely has to move soon, with four minutes to make up on Tadej Pogacar and tomorrow representing the final mountain stage of this year's Tour.

    If Pogacar wants to win the stage, he will also need to launch imminently.

    Adam Yates takes over the group and raises the pace. Florian Lipowitz is immediately put under pressure and this could be a huge opportunity for Britain's Oscar Onley in his pursuit of a podium place!

  15. Hail at the finishpublished at 16:08 British Summer Time 24 July

    6km to go

    The weather has been kind to the riders so far today, but the summit of the Col de la Loze looks rather murky.

    In fact, there is hail falling at the finish line at the moment.

    Ben O'Connor is within six kilometres of a memorable victory, still with more than three minutes over the yellow jersey group.

  16. Postpublished at 16:04 British Summer Time 24 July

    8km to go

    Florian Lipowitz has been caught by the yellow jersey group - and Britain's Oscar Onley.

    Is this planned by Lipowitz, to drop back and join the group, or is he really struggling?

    Onley has a two-minute gap to bridge to get himself into the general classification podium places, above Lipowitz.

  17. Postpublished at 16:00 British Summer Time 24 July

    10km to go

    It's a case of head down and give it everything now for Ben O'Connor as he enters the final 10km on the Col de la Loze.

    The Australian's advantage has grown to three minutes and 20 seconds but that could come down extremely quickly once the general classification battle ignites behind him. He can't worry about that, though.

    Jonas Vingegaard is running out of road to try and produce something special here in his pursuit of the yellow jersey.

  18. Postpublished at 15:56 British Summer Time 24 July

    11km to go

    Simon Yates bows out after a huge turn but it's Tadej Pogacar's Team UAE Emirates who take charge of the yellow jersey group.

    Pogacar is clearing feeling good and wants to apply pressure on Jonas Vingegaard now. Visma-Lease a Bike have not been able to grind him down so far.

  19. Postpublished at 15:53 British Summer Time 24 July

    12km to go

    Halfway up the final climb of the day and still we await Jonas Vingegaard's big move to try and break Tadej Pogacar.

    Simon Yates is not taking any time out of Ben O'Connor's lead, but Florian Lipowitz looks as though he will soon be caught.

  20. Postpublished at 15:48 British Summer Time 24 July

    14km to go

    Ben O'Connor enters the final 15km with his advantage to the yellow jersey group over three minutes.

    Matteo Jorgenson is not going to be able to help Jonas Vingegaard here, despite that looking well set up for Visma-Lease a bike. He is caught and quickly spat out the back of the main group as Simon Yates continues to empty the tank.

    Yates is tiring though and surely doesn't have much left here before handing over to Sepp Kuss.