Tadej Pogačar Short-Handed for Alpe d'Huez After Brandon McNulty Exit

Just two mountain stages stand between Tadej Pogačar and a record-tying fifth Tour de France title, but his powerhouse UAE Emirates-XRG team is suddenly running short of firepower.

Brandon McNulty abandoned on Thursday in stage 18 and Tim Wellens limped home last to barely survive the time cut as UAE Emirates-XRG endured another blow in the first of three decisive Alpine summit finishes.

Could Pogačar be dangerously exposed before this weekend’s double-barreled Alpe d’Huez showdown?

Pogačar has shown no signs of illness and insisted he’s ready to handle anything in the Tour’s final weekend.

“It’s too bad we lost him,” Pogacar said of McNulty. “He felt ill, and I wish him a speedy recovery. I hope he will be good for the Paris afterparty.”

Only Isaac del Toro remained alongside Pogačar in the select favorites group over Thursday’s final Cat. 1 climb to Orcières-Merlette.

His commanding 4:32 lead over Remco Evenepoel gives UAE a cushion, but the yellow jersey suddenly has far less support for the Tour’s decisive weekend.

Illness has swept through UAE’s climbing squad the past few days, but UAE told Eurosport that Wellens is not sick. Adam Yates narrowly survived Wednesday’s time cut before recovering enough to finish Thursday.

UAE running thin before Alpe d’Huez

UAE and Pogačar have controlled this Tour for nearly three weeks. Now, on the eve of Alpe d’Huez, the team is running ragged just as Pogačar closes in on a record-tying fifth Tour title.

Before celebrating in Paris, he has to survive back-to-back summit finishes at Alpe d’Huez.

The Slovenian finished safely in the main GC group behind breakaway winner Richard Carapaz on Friday.

There were no major attacks among the favorites as everyone is bracing for Friday’s 127.9km 19th stage from Gap and finishing straight up the famed 21 lacets.

“If the situation is like this, and the guys don’t get better from the sickness, then yeah, you never know what you have to do in the end,” Pogačar said. “You need to ride on instinct, but I believe all will be good with the team, and we will survive the next two days.”

UAE’s Florian Vermeersch also struggled Thursday, but he said it was fatigue not illness. The big Belgian did his work on the flats and did his best to make the time cut.

“I noticed that [Wellens] was at his limit and couldn’t do much I offered him a few times to go for water bottles, but that’s all I could do,” Vermeersch told Sporza. “It’s still two days to give, but my morale is fine. I’m looking forward to it.”

McNulty, 28, slipped off the pace early on the 185km Alpine stage from Voiron to Orcières-Merlette before race radio confirmed his abandonment with about 40km remaining.

Wellens was later dropped and rolled across the line with barely two minutes to spare before the time limit.

“In any other race, you would stop, but not at the Tour,” Wellens told Sporza. “I am happy that I could finish.”

McNulty out after falling ill

McNulty was racing his first Tour since 2022, but had fallen ill in recent days.

“Unfortunately, despite battling hard to stay in the race, [McNulty], has been forced to abandon,” a team note read. “Brandon had been suffering from illness and leaves the race on stage 18. You’ll be missed, Brandon. Feel better soon.”

The American’s exit came days after a bizarre pre-time trial incident Tuesday after a driver allegedly cut in front of him and slammed on the brakes.

UAE Emirates-XRG team manager Mauro Gianetti told TNT Sports that McNulty was riding toward the start when a motorist became agitated behind him, passed, then brake-checked him. McNulty struck the vehicle but escaped serious injury and started the time trial as planned.

The Arizonan lit up the start of the 2026 Tour and played a key role in setting up UAE teammate Isaac del Toro for victory in stage 2. He took key pulls in stage 6 over the Col du Tourmalet to help spring Pogačar to victory.

“And that’s all she wrote. What seemed like a small cold two days ago turned into suffering more than I thought possible just to make it through yesterday. Today, I pedaled until I physically couldn’t anymore,” McNulty wrote on social media.

“From Barcelona to, well … the start of the Alps, it’s been an amazing Tour, and I’m beyond thankful to have been part of this group. I wish the [UAE] boys the best of luck over the next three days to bring this thing home. No matter what happens, we’ll still arrive in Paris together to celebrate.”