The race leader Tadej Pogačar described his exit as a major loss to the competition and suggesting that a late-night anti-doping test may have contributed to the incident.
Stage 15 of the Tour de France was held on Sunday, July 19, 2026, covering 183.9 kilometers from Champagnole to Plateau de Solaison in France.
The stage featured several demanding mountain climbs, requiring riders to expend tremendous effort as they battled for victory.
Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel of Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe once again delivered an impressive performance to win the stage. He finished with the same time as Tadej Pogačar of UAE Team Emirates XRG, with both riders completing the stage in 4 hours, 23 minutes and 9 seconds.
However, their main rival, Jonas Vingegaard of Visma–Lease a Bike, crashed during the stage and was forced to abandon the race after suffering a shoulder fracture and a leg injury.
Pogačar, who continues to lead the general classification, said Vingegaard’s withdrawal is a significant blow because he has been one of the strongest competitors making the race exciting. He also suggested that Vingegaard’s performance may have been affected by an overnight anti-doping control.
“It was a difficult day for Jonas. First of all, they woke him up at 2 a.m. for a doping test. I don’t think it’s humane to disturb someone’s sleep like that. Those are hours when people should be resting,” Pogačar said.
He added:
“In my interview with France TV, I said I think that may have played a small part in what happened. He simply didn’t get a good night’s sleep before today’s stage.”
Vingegaard is a two-time Tour de France champion, having won the race in 2022 and 2023. Before withdrawing from the 2026 edition, he had already claimed one stage victory in this year’s race.
