OFFICIAL Stage 18 Results: Brandon McNulty ABANDONS!

[Laurens De Jong]

Hello, Tour de France Gamers!

 

STAGE Grade: B

 

I rate today’s stage a B. They called stage 17 a transition stage, but really this was the transition stage. Between the free-for-all madness of stage 17 and the climbing hell of stages 19 and 20. We had an okay race, I still think a B is generous.

 

Route: 4/5         GC: 1/5             Tactics: 3/5       Sprint: 2/5         Surprises: 2/5

 

 

Mads Pedersen did in fact stay with the leaders until the intermediate sprint. I was right about that. I was wrong about Quinn Simmons, though. Pedersen was in the breakaway of what turned out to be fourteen riders. Among them: Richard Carapaz. Learn to read the race — he did that twice today. Just as the group Pedersen was getting out of sight of the peloton, Carapaz made an ultimate jump to join them. The peloton never caught that group, so that was the right move. He did also bring Valentin Paret-Peintre with him, but sometimes you have to accept getting blackmailed.

 

After that Carapaz move, but before the peloton gave up completely, Simmons got into a group that tried to bridge. That seemed very odd to me. If Simmons jumps with Pedersen, fine. If he takes a day off, fine. But chase his own teammate? In a near-hopeless situation?

 

Simmons, yesterday: “they care more about Mads’ green jersey than about winning a stage. And at the end of the day, they’re the ones paying my salary, so I do what I’m told.” Either nobody told him to stay on Mads’ wheel, or he decided he couldn’t hear his radio. Simmons likes to walk to the beat of his own drum. Today’s riding wasn’t the biggest surprise of the day. And needless to say: that group never caught the leaders. Simmons finished 25^th, a minute behind Tadej Pogačar.

 

Pedersen won the intermediate sprint. He’s now 32 points ahead of Jasper Philipsen in the green jersey battles. That’s practically unsurmountable. There are 75 points available in Paris, but 50 of those are after the three-peat of the Montmartre climb. I can’t think of a way that Philipsen takes all those points back on the Champs-Élysées. Job well done by Pedersen, who has worked hard and attentively. That, and a shoulder-barge here and there.

 

Richard Carapaz won the race. He was the fastest of the six who started the final climb together. It was a fun race up the mountain. Six guys standing in a circle, punching each other in the stomach until they collapsed. Carapaz had the best punch. He attacked, Paret-Peintre countered. He attacked again, Paret-Peintre collapsed. Learn to read the race.

 

Team Jonwaine is responsible for our focus rider today: Pablo Castrillo. On August 29, 2024, he won stage 12 of the Vuelta a España. I wrote about it with great passion that day. Imagine, a passionate race report! It was Castrillo’s first win, it was Equipo Kern Pharma’s first win. It was the day that team founder Manolo Ascona had passed away.

 

We remember riders like Castrillo because of days like that. Well, I do.

 

He won stage 15 in the same Vuelta. I wrote about it with great passion. That was his last mass start win, although he is the current Spanish time trial champion.

 

Today he demonstrated that he has learned to read the race. He was in the right breakaway. He was dropped, understandable. He finished seventh, just five seconds ahead of the peloton. Character, he didn’t want to be gobbled up by the peloton.

 

With 500 meters to go he saw the yellow jersey, the white jersey, and all the other great champions of the 2026 Tour de France approaching. A 24-wheeled monster ready to devour him. “No!” he shouted to himself, in Spanish. “Never!” ¡Nunca! For the sake of country, God, and his mother, he found the strength to stay ahead and save seventh place.

 

See? I wrote about his seventh place in the 2026 Tour with great passion.

 

Watch the final kilometer HERE.

Watch the FloBikes highlights HERE.

Watch NBC Sports’ Extended highlights HERE.

Read the TNT Sports report HERE.

 

It's so late in the Tour, almost no abandon would affect our game much. Brandon McNulty's abandon certainly doesn't. Team Amalia and Team Oliver had him. I admire their patriotic choices, this just wasn't McNulty's year.

Spoiler alert: Team Josh and Team Tadej traded places again today, everyone else remained where they were.

 

Team Hugo stormed to victory today. Richard Carapaz and Matteo Jorgenson, that was too much for anyone to stand up to. Most points by far from the stage, and eight riders in the Top-25. Four other teams had eight, also.

 

Team Tadej were second. They shared most points from classifications with Team Ansel, who took third. In fourth were Team Oliver, still in touch with the leaders.

 

Fifth was shared … by Team Caleb and Team Matthew, naturally. It was nearly a four-way tie but Team Josh and Team Wesley fell a point short, they were seventh today.

 

Team Charles were ninth, Team Amalia tenth, Team Cameron eleventh. Team Grace missed the boat today, twelfth.

 

Richard Carapaz made Team Ansel look vulnerable today. They were challenged in daily points. And the calculated Final Standings bonus points are a little less in their favor. The game is going to be decided by Carapaz. If he rides in front like today, Team Ansel will be challenged. If not, then they have won this game. Carapaz will imagine he can ride like this, but he’s not been in the same league as the others in the top ten of the general classification. The predictable is that Carapaz will not be seen again. The predictable doesn’t always happen.

 

On Friday we’ll finish on l’Alpe d’Huez for the first of two consecutive stages. This is the traditional climb, from le Bourg d’Oisans. Past Dutch Corner, where the mad Dutchmen are. And into the ski resort. Alpe d’Huez has more insane ski lifts than any place I know. Just as the riders entire the famous little downhill in town they cross under the absolutely bonkers Télécentre. A lift that makes three turns (ski lifts can’t turn), it has open cars to stand in, instead of chairs or cabins, and in summer it only runs on special occasions, such as when the Tour de France is in town.

 

There are also three funiculars in Alpe d’Huez. It’ll be a long race report on Friday.

 

Oh, and Tadej Pogačar will win the stage, naturally.

 

Standings after stage 18:

 

Rank	Name	Points	WAS	MOVES
1	Team Ansel*	4204	1	0
2	Team Tadej*	4026	3	1
3	Team Josh*	3989	2	-1
4	Team Hugo*	3787	4	0
5	Team Charles*	3540	5	0
6	Team Caleb*	3381	6	0
7	Team Matthew*	3305	7	0
8	Team Oliver*	3137	8	0
9	Team Amalia*	2858	9	0
10	Team Wesley*	2343	10	0
11	Team Grace*	1538	11	0
12	Team Cameron*	1292	12	0

 

Standings after stage 18 (including dogs and adults):

 

Rank	Name	Points	WAS	MOVES
1	Team Ansel*	4204	1	0
2	Team Kent	4086	2	0
3	Team Kari	4061	3	0
4	Team Tadej*	4026	5	1
5	Team Amelia	3997	6	1
6	Team Josh*	3989	4	-2
7	Team Melanie	3921	7	0
8	Team Eric	3901	9	1
9	Team Rob	3865	8	-1
10	Team Kurt	3811	11	1
11	Team Hugo*	3787	12	1
12	Team Jon	3768	10	-2
13	Team Craig	3740	13	0
14	Team Julie	3700	14	0
15	Team Jonwaine	3662	15	0
16	Team Laurens	3544	17	1
17	Team Charles*	3540	16	-1
18	Team Ed	3458	18	0
19	Team Corsa	3408	19	0
20	Team Caleb*	3381	20	0
21	Team Ambrose	3342	21	0
22	Team Matthew*	3305	22	0
23	Team Kate	3203	23	0
24	Team Grace	3186	24	0
25	Team Oliver*	3137	25	0
26	Team Cameron	3087	27	1
	Team Ellie	3087	26	0
28	Team Jonathan	2995	29	1
29	Team Charlotte	2991	30	1
30	Team Adam	2979	28	-2
31	Team Amalia*	2858	31	0
32	Team Suzanne	2756	32	0
33	Team Erin	2719	33	0
34	Team Furner	2701	34	0
35	Team Allison	2554	36	1
36	Team Lichterman	2533	35	-1
37	Team Wesley	2345	37	0
38	Team Wesley*	2343	39	1
39	Team Chris	2342	38	-1
40	Team Senna#	2233	40	0
41	Team Izzy	2194	41	0
42	Team Valerie	1598	42	0
43	Team Grace*	1538	43	0
44	Team Cameron*	1292	44	0
45	Team Sam	1216	45	0

 

Complete breakdown of points from stage 18:

 

Name	STAGE RESULTS	YELLOW JERSEY	GREEN JERSEY	POLKA DOT JERSEY	WHITE JERSEY	POINTS/CLASS	TOTAL	PREVIOUS	CUM. TOTAL
Team Amalia*	87	27	5	7	5	44	131	2727	2858
Team Ansel*	113	48	13	8	12	81	194	4010	4204
Team Caleb*	92	37	9	8	10	64	156	3225	3381
Team Cameron*	84	16	2	5	2	25	109	1183	1292
Team Charles*	65	37	13	8	9	67	132	3408	3540
Team Grace*	51	13	4	5	0	22	73	1465	1538
Team Hugo*	146	41	10	11	12	76	222	3565	3787
Team Josh*	79	43	13	8	12	76	155	3834	3989
Team Matthew*	92	37	9	8	10	64	156	3149	3305
Team Oliver*	127	33	12	11	3	59	186	2951	3137
Team Tadej*	119	47	12	8	14	81	200	3826	4026
Team Wesley*	98	39	0	8	10	57	155	2188	2343

 

Complete breakdown of points from stage 18 (including dogs and adults):

 

Name	STAGE RESULTS	YELLOW JERSEY	GREEN JERSEY	POLKA DOT JERSEY	WHITE JERSEY	POINTS/CLASS	TOTAL	PREVIOUS	CUM. TOTAL
Team Adam	87	34	7	10	13	64	151	2828	2979
Team Allison	97	25	8	6	9	50	147	2407	2554
Team Amalia*	87	27	5	7	5	44	131	2727	2858
Team Ambrose	91	37	13	8	9	67	158	3184	3342
Team Amelia	115	49	10	8	14	81	196	3801	3997
Team Ansel*	113	48	13	8	12	81	194	4010	4204
Team Caleb*	92	37	9	8	10	64	156	3225	3381
Team Cameron	137	35	9	10	9	63	200	2887	3087
Team Cameron*	84	16	2	5	2	25	109	1183	1292
Team Charles*	65	37	13	8	9	67	132	3408	3540
Team Charlotte	125	33	4	13	11	63	188	2803	2991
Team Chris	56	29	4	8	4	45	101	2241	2342
Team Corsa	90	40	12	8	13	73	163	3245	3408
Team Craig	129	42	12	12	12	78	207	3533	3740
Team Ed	65	37	12	8	9	66	131	3327	3458
Team Ellie	115	34	12	10	9	67	182	2905	3087
Team Eric	139	44	12	15	13	86	225	3676	3901
Team Erin	110	34	3	11	7	57	167	2552	2719
Team Furner	123	35	4	9	12	62	185	2516	2701
Team Grace	130	37	12	10	8	69	199	2987	3186
Team Grace*	51	13	4	5	0	22	73	1465	1538
Team Hugo*	146	41	10	11	12	76	222	3565	3787
Team Izzy	83	19	9	8	5	43	126	2068	2194
Team Jon	86	44	12	8	14	78	164	3604	3768
Team Jonathan	130	41	0	7	9	57	187	2808	2995
Team Jonwaine	169	53	0	11	14	80	249	3413	3662
Team Josh*	79	43	13	8	12	76	155	3834	3989
Team Julie	140	44	12	11	12	81	221	3479	3700
Team Kari	133	48	12	11	15	88	221	3840	4061
Team Kate	122	29	12	10	4	57	179	3024	3203
Team Kent	132	48	12	11	14	87	219	3867	4086
Team Kurt	139	44	13	15	12	86	225	3586	3811
Team Laurens	110	46	5	11	12	76	186	3358	3544
Team Lichterman	62	26	12	6	7	51	113	2420	2533
Team Matthew*	92	37	9	8	10	64	156	3149	3305
Team Melanie	98	41	13	11	12	79	177	3744	3921
Team Oliver*	127	33	12	11	3	59	186	2951	3137
Team Rob	91	48	12	8	12	80	171	3694	3865
Team Sam	51	17	0	6	4	27	78	1138	1216
Team Senna#	72	22	9	7	0	38	110	2123	2233
Team Suzanne	121	37	3	8	9	57	178	2578	2756
Team Tadej*	119	47	12	8	14	81	200	3826	4026
Team Valerie	13	10	9	5	0	24	37	1561	1598
Team Wesley	43	24	9	7	1	41	84	2261	2345
Team Wesley*	98	39	0	8	10	57	155	2188	2343

 

Allez le Tour!

 

-Laurens.