The Alpine 18th stage of the Tour de France delivered Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz a second career stage victory, but the day's real story unfolded behind him. Race leader Tadej Pogacar crossed the finish line safely, yet lost another key mountain lieutenant—Brandon McNulty—to illness, compounding a growing vulnerability within his UAE Emirates-XRG squad just before the race's most brutal back-to-back summit finishes. Main Developments Carapaz attacked his five breakaway companions with just over three kilometers remaining on the final 7km climb to Orcieres-Merlette, crossing the line alone after a 185km stage from Voiron. Swiss rider Mauro Schmid finished second, ahead of American Matteo Jorgenson. The EF Education-EasyPost rider's victory also tightened the King of the Mountains competition: he now trails Pogacar by only seven points in the polka-dot jersey standings. McNulty's withdrawal followed a pattern of physical trouble within UAE Emirates-XRG. The previous day, Adam Yates had finished 26 minutes behind stage 17 winner Jasper Philipsen due to an upset stomach. Team sports manager Matxin Joxean Fernandez described McNulty's condition as “a type of constipation” accompanied by throat pain, mucus, and headache, with no fever or positive COVID-19 test. Another teammate, Tim Wellens, also reported feeling unwell Thursday morning. Read also: Pakistan to Play Five ODIs in England Ahead of 2027 World Cup Background Carapaz, a former Giro d'Italia winner, had already taken his first Tour stage victory in 2024, when he also won the King of the Mountains classification. Thursday's win was his second Tour stage win overall. The 185.2km route from Voiron to Orcieres-Merlette featured a steep uphill finish that suited the Ecuadorian's climbing strengths. Carapaz attempted an initial attack on the final ascent, but Frenchman Valentin Paret-Peintre matched him; Jorgenson and Norwegian Tobias Johannessen also took turns. Carapaz's second surge proved decisive, with no one able to respond. Pogacar, the current two-time world champion, leads Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel by four and a half minutes in the general classification. The Slovenian is pursuing a record-equalling fifth Tour victory, which would place him alongside cycling legends Eddy Merckx, Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain. Why It Matters The timing of UAE's health issues could not be worse. The next two stages both finish atop the iconic Alpe d'Huez, a climb that demands maximum support from mountain domestiques. Without McNulty and with Yates still recovering, the team's ability to control the pace on those ascents is severely compromised. In stage 18, the absence of Pogacar's climbing generals was immediately visible: other teams—Tom Pidcock's Pinarello-Q36.5 and Jordan Jegat's TotalEnergies—were forced to set the pace to keep the breakaway's lead from threatening the top-ten positions. Carapaz, who moved up to 10th overall, benefited from that dynamic. “It's the third week, all the teams are a bit suffering,” Pogacar acknowledged. “You can see the bodies everywhere on the stage like today already.” His own physical condition remains strong, but the health of his supporting cast now shapes the race's final act. What's Next Stage 19 and 20 both finish atop Alpe d'Huez, promising two consecutive days of brutal climbing. Pogacar said he expects Adam Yates to improve and plans to “go with the flow” on Friday, adding: “We survive tomorrow's stage, try to come to Alpe d'Huez and see what we can do.” The yellow jersey remains the favorite for the stage win unless illness strikes him directly. Carapaz, meanwhile, will eye the polka-dot jersey in the remaining mountain stages, needing just seven more points to overtake Pogacar in that competition.