​After the Vosges the day before Following the transfer from Stage 15 of the 2026 Tour de France, the race headed into the Alps. The finale took place on the climb to the Plateau de Solaison (HC), which made its debut in the Tour. After 184 kilometres, Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe) claimed victory on the 11-kilometre climb.

The Belgian won the final sprint ahead of Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates – XRG) and Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates – XRG). For Evenepoel, it was his first stage victory on a mountain stage at the Tour de France.

Lipowitz cannot keep up with Pogacar’s pace

Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe) lost contact with Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) and Juan Ayuso (Lidl – Trek) on the final climb, 7.5 kilometres from the finish, after Pogacar increased the pace. Lipowitz eventually crossed the finish line 58 seconds behind.

Only del Toro and Evenepoel stayed on Pogacar’s wheel in the final stretch. The Slovenian seemed to be riding this stage for his team-mate del Toro anyway, and led the climb for the most part. After all, the Mexican had already won the finish at the Plateau de Solaison during the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in June. However, in the final metres, del Toro was unable to keep up with Evenepoel’s surge.

Vingegaard forced to withdraw from the 2026 Tour de France following a crash

However, the news of the day occurred before the final climb: Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) was forced to abandon the stage. With 20 kilometres to go, the Dane’s front wheel slipped as he exited a roundabout and he crashed along with some of his team-mates. He was then taken straight into the ambulance with his shoulder bandaged. Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates – XRG) also crashed, but was able to continue the race.

​​The jerseys for the 2026 Tour de France

Pogacar remains at the top of the general classification. Following Vingegaard’s withdrawal, Evenepoel has moved up to second place, five minutes behind. Del Toro is now in third place (+5:58 minutes) and leads the young riders’ classification. Lipowitz follows in fifth place, 6:48 minutes behind. Pogacar also leads the mountains classification, whilst Mads Pedersen (Lidl - Trek) wears the green jersey in the points classification.

​2026 Tour de France – Results of Stage 15

Here’s how the 15th stage of the 2026 Tour de France unfolded

​As on previous days, the early intermediate sprint initially belonged to the sprinters. After 17 kilometres, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin–Premier Tech) won the sprint in Saint-Laurent-en-Grandvaux ahead of Mads Pedersen (Lidl–Trek). The battle for the day’s breakaway then began, but it dragged on for many kilometres.

The first mountain stage of the day was the Côte des Rousses (Category 3), where several riders attempted to break away – including Richard Carapaz (EF Education – EasyPost) and Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal Quick-Step), both of whom were fighting for vital points in the mountains classification. Paret-Peintre picked up two points on the Côte des Rousses. However, no breakaway group had managed to pull away by that stage.

Thomas Pidcock in the day’s leading group

Further unsuccessful attacks followed before Thymen Arensman (Netcompany – Ineos) formed a larger group after 50 kilometres, which also included Tim van Dijke (Red Bull – Bora – hansgrohe), Michael Matthews and Mauro Schmid (both Jayco – AlUla) as well as Tobias Halland Johannessen (both Uno-X Mobility). EF Education – EasyPost were not satisfied with this, however, and chased the group for several kilometres before finally catching up with them 106 kilometres from the finish.

Shortly afterwards, a 23-strong group formed, comprising Thomas Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5), Kevin Vauquelin, Egan Bernal (Netcompany - Ineos), Quinn Simmons (Lidl - Trek), Ben Healy, Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost), Guillaume Martin (Groupama-FDJ), Bruno Armirail, Victor Campenaerts (Visma | Lease a Bike), Ilan Van Wilder (Soudal-Quick Step), Adam Yates (UAE - Emirates - XRG), Raúl García and Einar Rubio (Movistar), as well as Van Dijke, Schmid and Paret-Peintre. The group eventually built up a lead of around two minutes.

Mauro Schmid tries his hand at solo performing

On the Col de la Croisette (1st category), the leading group broke up significantly 55 kilometres from the finish. Simmons broke away at the front to ride solo and claimed the mountain classification. Behind him, a chasing group formed around Yates, Schmid, Rubio, Pidcock, Yannis Voisard (Tudor) and Éwen Costiou (Groupama-FDJ), who caught up with him again on the descent. Immediately afterwards, the race tackled the Côte du Mont (3rd category), where Pidcock claimed the two points from the group. On the descent, Schmid then broke away from the group to ride solo.

Vingegaard’s crash and withdrawal, 20 kilometres from the finish, initially threw the peloton’s chase into disarray, as the pace slowed. Thereafter, Team Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe took the lead in the chase.

Evenepoel stays on the heels of Pogacar and del Toro

Schmid reached the final climb to the Plateau de Solaison (HC) with a 25-second lead over the chasing group. Shortly afterwards, Simmons broke away from this group to catch up with the Swiss rider and overtook him. The group of favourites was 2 minutes and 15 seconds behind. Eight kilometres from the finish, Pogacar moved to the front of the favourites’ group, leaving only his team-mate del Toro, Lipowitz, Evenepoel, Ayuso and Seixas to follow – though Seixas, Ayuso and Lipowitz lost contact shortly afterwards.

Five kilometres from the finish, Yates – who had let himself drop back – led Pogacar, del Toro and Evenepoel, who refused to be shaken off, past Simmons, who had been in the lead until then.

Pogacar, del Toro and Evenepoel eventually reached the final kilometre together – with Evenepoel taking the sprint victory.