“Like an idiot, I did the sprint to try to win,” reacts Julian Alaphilippe, who thought he had won the 15th stage

Arms in the air and smile of the win, Julian Alaphilippe has rage when crossing the finish line in Carcassonne (Aude), Sunday July 20. Perhaps too … positioned on his right, the Belgian Wout Van Aert himself seems surprised by this excess of joy. Yes but here, the French runner thinks is the winner of the 15th stage of the Tour de France.

Except that … no. As surprising as it may seem, it was not made aware that the Belgian Tim Wellens had arrived alone a few seconds before. “Like an idiot, I did the sprint to try to win”reacted the French runner of the Swiss team Tudor, confident that “Radio no longer walked after the fall”.

The 2020-2021 world champion has indeed fell heavily on a cobblestone floor at the exit of a roundabout, at kilometer 15. After getting up, the Frenchman has recovered his shoulder disabled in place alone.

Julian Alaphilippe will therefore have to wait before celebrating his seventh stage victory on the Tour de France. By finishing third in this 15th stage, he also offers … The very first podium of a Frenchman on this 2025 edition of the Grande Boucle.