Wellens finally rid of Tour curse, but: "Of course I would immediately trade my stage win for yellow with Tadej in Paris"

Wellens is always humble and modest, whether he wins or loses. But in the flash interview, he did recognize how special this victory was. “It’s a very special win. Everyone knows the Tour de France, everyone wants to ride it. But not many people manage to win a stage in the Tour de France. That’s truly beautiful.” With a solo attack of no less than 43 kilometers, he left all his rivals behind.

Normally, the Belgian would have taken it easy during stage fifteen, but a crash in the opening kilometers changed everything. “I felt really good today. Nils (Politt, ed.) and I were already joking a bit that we might end up in the break. Suddenly, there was a big crash, I hope everyone is okay. We tried to wait a bit, but they just kept attacking, and I jumped with one of them. And then I was in.”

Once the road turned uphill, Wellens knew he had to save his energy. Riders like Michael Storer and Quinn Simmons were spending theirs early. “On the climb everything exploded again, and on the final climb I felt really good. I knew the others felt good too, so I had to go solo. At the top, I found my moment, and I could feel I had the legs to hold it all the way to the finish.”

That’s how he managed to ride away from his exhausted rivals on a day when he was originally supposed to stay near team leader Tadej Pogacar. “I had the opportunity and I took it. I had the legs. But of course, I’d trade this win in a heartbeat for yellow with Tadej in Paris,” the ever-loyal domestique said.

With this victory, the Belgian national champion has now won a stage in all three grand tours. He wanted to celebrate that milestone in a special way. “I knew I’d be adding my name to a special list. I knew I had to enjoy the moment. I kept pushing right until the finish line so I could really soak it in. I was planning to lift my bike in the air, but I was so happy with the win that I forgot. Maybe I’ll still do it on the podium,” Wellens joked.

Mauro Gianetti watched Tim Wellens take UAE Team Emirates - XRG’s fifth stage win of the Tour. The Italian team boss couldn’t be happier, especially because it was the Belgian who claimed the victory. “It’s really special. If there’s anyone who deserves a stage win in the Tour de France, it’s Tim Wellens,” he said enthusiastically. “He’s so dedicated to the team and to Tadej. He’s always just five centimeters away from him, whether it’s in training or during the race.”

That was supposed to be the case today too. “But today he ended up in the breakaway, even though that wasn’t the plan. He was in a position where he didn’t have to work for the first 50 kilometers, when things were really tough. He saved that energy and used it in the finale. He was smart, as always. It’s another fantastic day for the team, especially for him.”

The Tour de France hadn’t been a lucky race for Tim Wellens, who had abandoned twice in previous editions. But all of that is now in the past. “Tim has had to suffer so much in the Tour de France. To finally win at the age of 34, no one deserves it more,” said Mauro Gianetti. It was also important for the team boss that someone else than Pogacar got a win. “It’s important. If a teammate has the chance to win, that’s amazing too. We know how much they sacrifice just to be here. It’s unique.”

That Wellens broke away after the crash was an ironic twist, but UAE Team Emirates - XRG acted with sportsmanship by waiting for the crashed Jonas Vingegaard and Florian Lipowitz. “That’s just normal. The peloton didn’t split because of wind or something, it split due to a crash. Then it’s important to wait for Vingegaard and Lipowitz to return. There’s no point in turning it into a fight. Thankfully, everyone came back without serious consequences. That ultimately created the breakaway. It’s a beautiful moment.”