Tim Wellens Claims Stage 15 of Tour de France 2025 in Solo Victory
Carcassonne, France – Belgian cyclist Tim Wellens of UAE Team Emirates – XRG has secured a commanding victory in the 15th stage of the Tour de France 2025, a 169.3 km route from Muret to Carcassonne. Wellens crossed the finish line a solo winner, holding off his nearest competitors by a significant margin.
The UAE Team Emirates rider triumphed with a lead of 1 minute and 28 seconds over Victor Campenaerts of Visma, who finished second. Julian Alaphilippe of Tudor Pro Cycling rounded out the podium, finishing third with a deficit of 1 minute and 36 seconds.
“It’s a very special victory,” Wellens commented after the stage. “Everyone knows the Tour de France and everyone wants to race on it, but not everyone will win, so it’s a wonderful triumph.” This win marks a significant milestone for Wellens, completing his collection of Grand Tour stage victories, having previously won stages at the giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a españa.
Reflecting on his performance,Wellens described his strategy: “Before the stage I felt great. I tried to attack and then caught one attack, after which I got into a group of refugees. It exploded again on the climb and then on the final hill I felt really great. I saw that others believed, I knew I had to go solo. At the end of the climb, I knew this was my moment and I had the strength to endure until the end.”
The 15th stage, characterized by a hilly profile as the race transitioned from the Pyrenees towards the Alps, proved to be a decisive day for Wellens. The 34-year-old Belgian champion launched his winning attack 43 kilometers from the finish, breaking away from a four-man group that included Michael Store, Quinn Simmons, and Campenaerts. His competitors were unable to match his acceleration, allowing Wellens to steadily increase his advantage and claim his maiden stage win at the tour de france. this victory also marks the fifth Tour de France triumph for his UAE Emirates team this year.
In the general classification, race leader Tadej Pogačar, along with his main rivals Jonas Vingegaard and Florian Lipowitz, finished within the main peloton, trailing Wellens by 6 minutes and 7 seconds. pogačar maintains his overall lead, holding a 4 minutes and 13 seconds advantage over Vingegaard, with Lipowitz in third place, 7 minutes and 53 seconds behind the leader.
The Tour de France continues with its next stage, further testing the endurance and tactical prowess of the world’s top cyclists.
