00:01Louis O'Kania, I will let you recover. It's been hard these last kilometers.
00:05I attacked and I tried everything for everything.
00:10The two big battles, there are two big battles of the day.
00:13Zotmelk and Eddy Merck.
00:16In nine minutes, that's what I was saying.
00:17This is the card that I communicated earlier, I didn't want to let it.
00:20In any case, O'Kania is very applauded here.
00:24Merck has to recover these last days, which have been very hard for him because of the heat.
00:28That's why I wanted to attack all the videos.
00:33Great day for the sport. Great day for Luis O'Kania.
00:38I believe that O'Kania has all been killed.
00:41There's nothing to say about it. It's really strong today.
00:45We always say that O'Kania has one day long.
00:47So he will be sure to wait for two days long.
00:50In the dangerous descent of the coast of Mante, the yellow flag will fall.
00:55The turn is finished for him.
00:56Then, the big sadness has invaded the great adventure.
01:16The race arrives in the Alps and things are about to get tasty.
01:19Today, not an easy one, but certainly more than what's upcoming.
01:23An intense day that could be the last big breakaway chance to win.
01:46And suddenly, this is not a good news for UAE.
01:51Wellens is in difficulty for UAE.
01:54What is going on in UAE?
01:57The peloton is regrouped from the direct mode 30.
02:01This is Jasper Philipson going out of the back of the group.
02:06Valentin Paripat all the way now to the line, looking for the 10 points.
02:12This is going to move him closer to the King of the Mountains jersey.
02:27A long stage that now saw the green jersey group being chased down, notably by the day's expected
02:32protagonists.
02:33Paripat and Carapaz desperate to do so, while a 25-strong group were trying to reel them in too.
02:39Before the Côte de Montaigne summit, the polka dot jersey group caught and a 14-strong leading pack formed.
02:47King of the Mountains showdown, five points for the victor.
02:51Valentin Paripat with a real explosion of power on the front.
02:56Carapaz dodging around behind him.
02:58Yet again it's Valentin Paripat over the top of the second climb.
03:03The chase group now just 50 seconds behind.
03:06Meanwhile, the peloton was happy to graze nearly five minutes off the front.
03:14After three hours of racing and an average speed of 43 km an hour,
03:18this what Mads Pedersen had in mind all day, the intermediate sprint.
03:22A chance to earn back some points lost to Philipsen yesterday.
03:26Pedersen comes up and he's going to secure the 25 points.
03:31One of the slowest sprints we've seen.
03:33It's slightly uphill, very, very difficult.
03:36But the green jersey clad Mads Pedersen secures 25 points and a big buffer to Jasper Philipsen.
03:53This is Brandon Abandon, today Brandon Abandon just now.
03:58He was alone for 50 km.
04:02Come on, come on, you can do it still.
04:07So Paripat checks over his shoulder.
04:10And Paripat goes over the climb.
04:12It's 93, it's 93.
04:15It's not long, it's not long.
04:17I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
04:18I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
04:19I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
04:21Five points behind Pagaccia in the King of the Mountains classification.
04:25Paripat knew top three would earn the polka dots outright.
04:28But the Frenchmen really wanted to be the first homestage winner of this edition.
04:32Yet EF Education hoped Carapaz could deliver their first win of the tour.
04:36Six hopefuls, only one winner.
04:38And with four kilometers to go, the attack sparked into life.
04:41Now Paripat starts to up the pressure on everybody else, looking over his shoulder.
04:46They don't like this jumping around sensation that he has.
04:50Because that really stings the legs.
04:56Carapaz attacks, massive attack of Richard Carapaz.
05:00The Ecuadorian eagle soars and now he goes to try and win the stage.
05:05This is a brutal attack of Carapaz.
05:08The only rider who can respond is Valentin Paripat.
05:12I've put the revenue on the duo set.
05:14The Oregon Sun is just on the back.
05:15Four kilometers now.
05:17He has a distance.
05:21Paripat stops.
05:22More Schmidt.
05:24Paripat.
05:25You cannot discount the Polkadot.
05:29There he goes again.
05:30Another big move from Richard Carapaz.
05:33This is another massive attack.
05:36And no reaction at this point.
05:39Look at that.
05:40Carapaz is flying now.
05:42There are two more than two.
05:46In Wilson and Schmidt.
05:47It's a little further.
05:48Valentin Paripat.
05:49This man absolutely thrives on.
05:53He checks over his shoulder again.
05:55It's going to be elation for Ecuador.
05:58Richard Carapaz comes around the corner right now.
06:02He looks.
06:03He checks.
06:04And he can see the finish line just in front of him.
06:07The crowd get ready to welcome a class act.
06:10Carapaz crowns an amazing day.
06:13Elation for Ecuador and EF Education Easy Post.
06:18He wins.
06:19Stage 18.
06:32This Carapaz's second tour stage triumph two years after his first.
06:37Winning from a stacked group all the sweeter as his defying age.
06:41The 33 year old ready to celebrate.
06:50To win here on the tour has been something that has costed us a lot.
06:56And at the end, this is a very beautiful stage.
07:00I dedicate my family to it.
07:03And I think that's the most grateful for me.
07:07To know that the work I do can be recompensed with all this.
07:12Every year it's more difficult to win.
07:14But, well, I think that the reward is here.
07:18And without more, I can enjoy it now.
07:29A ninth contour success for the 2021 Olympic champion.
07:33The Ecuador Eagles soared up the final climb to beat Schmidt and Jorgensen by 45 seconds.
07:39King of the Mountain rival Paris Pant came home in fourth.
07:45Despite some teammates blowing up.
07:47Bogacha safe for now.
07:49Carapaz's heroics takes him into the top ten.
07:53A great show of endurance helped Pedersen recover some security for his green jersey.
07:58Extending a narrow lead to a 32 point one.
08:03Bogacha watched the battle for his polka dots.
08:05Pari Pant just one point off.
08:07The previous time Carapaz won a tour stage, he claimed the king of the mountain title.
08:12Del Toro's white jersey in play tomorrow when the real climbing begins just 20 seconds to success.
08:20Now the two are ready to cook up a storm up the Alpe d'Huez.
08:23Go to bombs.
08:26Go to bombs.
08:31Go for bombs.
08:39slipThese can be transported.
08:41Hooray, the!然n's!
