Tim Wellens seals first Tour de France stage win

Tim Wellens of UAE Team Emirates claimed his maiden Tour de France stage win with a solo breakaway to Carcassonne, completing his Grand Tour trilogy. His strategic move followed early crashes, with Belgian compatriot Campenaerts finishing second in a strong breakaway stage

Hyderabad: A canny ride from Tadej Pogacar’s loyal UAE Team Emirates-XRG domestique, Tim Wellens, saw the Belgian national champion win his first Tour de France stage and complete the Grand Tour career trilogy in France.

The 34-year-old Wellens seized an early opportunity to sneak into the break of the day, where he conserved energy before launching an impressive solo victory 43.5 km from the finish. On the downhill run-in to the walled city of Carcassonne, Wellens played to his strengths as a rouleur, gaining time to celebrate a memorable win. He crossed the line 1 minute and 28 seconds ahead of compatriot—and sometime breakaway ally—Victor Campenaerts (Visma-Lease a Bike).

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Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Pro Cycling) won the sprint for third place ahead of Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike), although the Frenchman mistakenly celebrated, believing he had won. An earlier crash had dislocated his shoulder and broken his team radio, leaving him unaware that riders were still up the road.

The final stage of week two was designed as a breakaway special, attracting numerous riders eager to make the day’s escape. The opening kilometres were fast, furious, and chaotic. An early crash appeared to have ended Alaphilippe’s race, but the two-time world champion remounted and remained active throughout the stage.

The crash caused splits in the peloton, one of which Pogacar found himself on the favourable side of. With his general classification rivals caught out, the yellow jersey wearer returned a favour from earlier in the week by encouraging the race to slow. However, the intensity of the moment meant even Pogacar struggled to impose calm.

Eventually, a solid group of 15 riders managed to escape. Along with Campenaerts and Wellens, the group included former multi-stage winners Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious), Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), and Van Aert. Their lead remained modest for much of the stage. After a sprint cleanly taken by Van der Poel, the hilly terrain began to fragment the group, while strong riders like Michael Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling) bridged across from the peloton.

The third-category Côte de Sorèze climb reduced the lead group to eight. UAE Team Emirates then controlled the peloton, allowing the break to build a race-winning margin. Wellens, as a teammate of the yellow jersey, was not obliged to contribute to the pace-setting and instead saved his energy by sitting in and covering moves.

This conservation paid off on the stage’s only second-category climb, the Pas du Sant. Ignoring Quinn Simmons’ (Lidl-Trek) plea for unity, Wellens feigned weakness before launching a decisive attack just before the long descent into Carcassonne. His explosive move was unmatched.

Wellens quickly opened a gap—first ten seconds, then more—leaving the rest unable to cooperate or respond. It was every man for himself from that point on. Committed and composed, Wellens extended his lead and only allowed himself a smile with 5 km to go. The chasing group had regrouped but was now racing for second place. Campenaerts managed to slip away for a Belgian one-two finish, with Visma again finishing behind UAE, as they have for most of this Tour.

A delighted Wellens reflected on the win, saying:
“On the last climb of the day I felt good and knew I had to go solo. On the top of the climb, I found my moment, and I had the legs to keep it until the end. I had an opportunity, I took it, and I had the legs to finish it.”