How 'pain in the a***' Remco Evenepoel silenced critics after bagging first road stage win at Tour de France as Tadej Pogacar maintains lead

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Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe rider Remco Evenepoel silenced his critics with a stunning summit finish to win Stage 15 at the 2026 Tour de France on Sunday ahead of UAE Team Emirates-XRG team-mates Tadej Pogacar and Isaac del Toro to move up to second in the general classification (GC) standings.

Highlights: Evenepoel pips Pogacar for historic stage win as Vingegaard abandons

Video credit: TNT Sports

The Belgian pulled ahead of Del Toro with 400m remaining and crossed the line with the yellow jersey holder Pogacar on his wheel, as the trio profited from Jonas Vingegaard's Tour-ending crash.

However, Evenepoel and the rest of the GC hopefuls remain five minutes behind runaway leader Pogacar, who looks destined for a record-equalling fifth Tour win as the riders head into a rest day.

After the victory, the Belgian described his roller-coaster of a day.

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"I’m literally drowning from emotions, it’s been a hell of a day," Evenepoel said. "I was actually feeling really bad in the beginning, but I got better and better during the day.

"You have to understand that I am racing with the best rider ever and he's been doing a hell of a climb to win the stage with Isaac. For me, it’s a big step forward that I can follow his pace because It's a crazy hot pace.

"I always get so many critics about how I cannot survive steep climbs and this and that and it feels amazing. Just towards myself, everyone around me, it means a lot.

"It's really hard to win a race at least and I am one of the lucky ones who can still win quite a few but in the tour, on hard mountains like this, it's hard to beat guys like Tadej and Jonas, especially Tadej of course.

"Whenever there's an opportunity you need to grab it with both hands and for me, this is my first proper mountain stage that I won from the GC group and it shows that I have made a step forward and I hope to keep this for the last week because it's not over yet."

'A sad sight' - Vingegaard abandons Tour after nasty Stage 15 crash

Video credit: TNT Sports

Pogacar also lauded Evenepoel, after appearing happy to cruise home directly behind and maintain his hefty lead in the GC.

He said: "Chapeau to Remco today ... Remco just sometimes needs a morale boost and he’s flying. Today he showed he's a rocket, and he's going to be a pain in the a*** next week or so."

'You can't take anything away from him'

Former British cyclist Matthew Stephens weighed in on his view of Evenepoel's stage victory, illustrating how this win on a steep climb could ease the pressure he has faced from the media.

Despite finishing third in the GC in 2024, this marked the 26-year-old’s first road win on the Tour as the three-time UCI World Champion traditionally favours the sprints.

He will get another chance to showcase his prowess on Tuesday and is the favourite to win the sole ITT stage of the Tour.

Stephens said to TNT Sports: "We've seen Remco come under so much pressure from the Belgian press. Even after winning the world's for God’s sake. Saying he can't really ride a Grand Tour properly.

"It's like, what can the lad do? He's finished on the podium in the Tour before. But we know in the steep climbs he’s struggled a bit so he’s worked at that, lost three or four kilos, you can’t take anything away from him.

"But the circumstances helped lay it out for him slightly, but he still had to put Ayuso away, Seixas. It was a brilliant ride."

After his victory, Evenepoel also expressed his concern for Vingegaard, who was taken to hospital with a suspected broken collarbone after clipping the kerb during the stage.

Vingegaard was involved in a multi-rider collision as he saw his faint hopes of chasing down Pogacar for the yellow jersey vanish in an instant.

Evenepoel said: "It's really bad news for himself and for the race that he's out. It's something that you never wish to anybody. After that, you’ve got to refocus and try to go for the maximum.

"Taking the stage and arriving with Tadej and Isaac putting on quite a big gap is amazing. We have a rest day and another beautiful day on Tuesday where I will try and go for another stage.

"It's amazing that I found my best legs during this Tour so I hope I can recover well from this one and then go into the last week."

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