Samwise Cycle Racing Newsletter
Monday, July 20, 2026
Evenepoel Outwits Pogačar to Win Tour de France Stage 15 at Solaison
Remco Evenepoel delivered a brilliant summit sprint to win stage 15 of the 2026 Tour de France at Plateau de Solaison on Sunday, holding off race leader Tadej Pogačar and UAE teammate Isaac del Toro to claim his third stage win of this year’s race. The Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe rider crossed the line first after escaping from a 23-rider breakaway on the upper slopes. Evenepoel leapt from fifth to second in the general classification, now sitting five minutes behind Pogačar. The victory was overshadowed by Jonas Vingegaard’s race-ending crash with 20 kilometres remaining, which sent shockwaves through the peloton.
Sources: Cyclingnews Cycling Weekly Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Vingegaard Crashes Out of Tour de France with Broken Collarbone
Two-time Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard abandoned stage 15 on Sunday after crashing heavily on a fast right-hand bend approximately 21 kilometres from the finish. The Visma-Lease a Bike leader, who had started the day second in the general classification, slid out on the exit of a traffic roundabout and sustained a fractured collarbone requiring surgery. Vingegaard responded stoically from hospital, saying it was no use hanging his head and that recovery was going surprisingly well given the circumstances. Race leader Tadej Pogačar said the Tour de France will not be the same without his primary rival in the race.
Sources: Cyclingnews Cycling Weekly Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Nighttime Anti-Doping Tests Spark Controversy as Peloton Reacts
The International Testing Agency woke both Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard for anti-doping tests in the early hours before stage 15, sparking fierce debate across the peloton. Vingegaard, who crashed and abandoned hours later, said somebody knocked on his door at 2am. Pogačar told Eurosport he received only four hours of sleep and suggested the overnight test could be a small percentage factor in Vingegaard’s subsequent crash. Stage winner Remco Evenepoel called on the CPA rider association to take action, describing the practice as inhuman. The International Testing Agency defended nighttime testing, saying effective testing must be capable of occurring outside daytime hours.
Sources: Cyclingnews Cycling Weekly Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Visma Raises Questions About Motorbike’s Role in Vingegaard’s Race-Ending Crash
Visma-Lease a Bike raised questions about whether a race motorbike contributed to Jonas Vingegaard’s race-ending crash on stage 15. Teammate Matteo Jorgenson described the incident, saying the motorbike double-checked in the corner and took the left side of a traffic island, causing riders in the train to brake sharply. Vingegaard was positioned fourth in the team’s line and was caught in the ripple effect of the sudden braking. The team described the corner as a strange situation and indicated they are examining the full circumstances of the crash. Stage officials have not announced any formal investigation as of Monday’s rest day.
Sources: Cyclingnews Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Tom Pidcock Fined and Docked 20 Seconds for Twice Pushing Off Car on Stage 15
Tom Pidcock received two separate penalties on stage 15 of the Tour de France after race officials cited him for pushing off against a race vehicle twice during the stage to Plateau de Solaison. The Pinarello-Q36.5 rider incurred a combined fine of 400 Swiss francs, a 20-second deduction from his overall time, and lost eight King of the Mountains points along with 30 UCI ranking points. Pidcock remained ninth in the general classification, 10 minutes and 59 seconds behind race leader Tadej Pogačar, after the penalties were applied. The incidents occurred while the Briton was active in the day’s breakaway group.
Sources: Cyclingnews Cycling Weekly Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Blevins and Blunk Sweep XCO Titles at USA Cycling Mountain Bike Nationals
Christopher Blevins and Savilia Blunk claimed the elite cross-country Olympic titles at the 2026 USA Cycling Endurance Mountain Bike Nationals in Roanoke, Virginia on Saturday. Blevins, riding for Specialized Factory Racing, attacked in the second lap of the men’s race and rode solo to the finish line. Blunk, representing Decathlon Ford Racing, won her third elite women’s XCO national title, adding to the cross-country short track crown she had secured earlier in the week. Bjorn Riley of Scott-SRAM MTB Racing had defeated Blevins in Thursday’s short track race to defend his own national title. Both championship events were held at venues in Roanoke County.
Sources: Cyclingnews Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Tour de France GC: Evenepoel Moves to Second as Stage 16 Time Trial Looms
Tadej Pogačar leads the 2026 Tour de France by five minutes over Remco Evenepoel after Sunday’s stage 15 to Plateau de Solaison, with Isaac del Toro third at 5 minutes 58 seconds, Paul Seixas fourth at 6:23 and Florian Lipowitz fifth at 6:48. Jonas Vingegaard’s abandonment following his stage 15 crash removes what many considered Pogačar’s most formidable threat to a fifth Tour title. Mads Pedersen holds the green jersey in the points classification, and del Toro wears the white jersey as best young rider. The peloton rests Monday before Tuesday’s stage 16 individual time trial, a 26.1-kilometre test from Évian-les-Bains to Thonon-les-Bains.
Sources: Cyclingnews ProCyclingStats Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
General Classification
GC Top 5 — After Stage 15
1. Tadej Pogačar — Leader | UAE Team Emirates-XRG
2. Remco Evenepoel — +5:00 | Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe
3. Isaac del Toro — +5:58 | UAE Team Emirates-XRG
4. Paul Seixas — +6:23 | Decathlon CMA CGM
5. Florian Lipowitz — +6:48 | Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe
Other Classifications
Jerseys & Stage 16 Preview
🟢 Green (Points): Mads Pedersen | Lidl-Trek
⚪ White (Young Rider): Isaac del Toro | UAE
🏁 Stage 16 (Tue): ITT — Évian to Thonon, 26.1 km
Next: Rest day today — Racing resumes Tuesday
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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