2023-07-20 18:42:19
The Dane Kasper Asgreen released his Soudal-Quick Step team by winning the 18th stage of the Tour de France on Thursday in Bourg-en-Bresse where he resisted the return of the peloton which had returned to a few meters.
His Danish compatriot Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) retains the yellow jersey at the end of this day of respite for the favorites the day after the last stage in the Alps. Three days before the finish in Paris, Vingegaard, who barring an accident will win his second Tour de France on Sunday, retains a lead of 7:35 minutes in the general classification over the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar.
Asgreen, 28, settled on the line the Dutchman Pascal Eenkhoorn and the Norwegian Jonas Abrahamsen who had also taken place in the breakaway of the day, just like the Belgian Victor Campenaerts.
The four men were never more than 1 minute 20 seconds ahead of the peloton but managed against all odds to carry their escapade to the end.
Asgreen, well helped by his teammates Julian Alaphilippe and Tom Declercq who, as old veterans, did everything to disrupt the pursuit by constantly intercalating between the teams of sprinters in the peloton.
Asgreen, winner of the Tour of Flanders in 2021, took the opportunity to claim his first victory on the Grande Boucle after two second places and free his team which had been left empty-handed on this Tour until then.
► The classification of the 18th stage, Moûtiers – Bourg-en-Bresse, Thursday July 20
1. Kasper Asgreen (DEN/SOQ) completed 184.9 km in 4 h 06:48.
(average: 45.1 km/h)
2. Pascal Eenkhoorn (NED/LTD) à 0.
3. Jonas Abrahamsen (NOR/UXT)
4. Jasper Philipsen (BEL/ADC) 0.
5. Mads Pedersen (DEN/LTK) 0.
6. Cees Bol (NED/AST) 0.
7. Jordi Meeus (BEL/BOH) 0.
8. Matteo Trentin (ITA/UAD) 0.
9. Christophe Laporte (FRA/TJV) 0.
10. Luca Mozzato (ITA/ARK) 0.
► The top 10 of the general classification after the 18th stage
1. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN/TJV) 72 h 04:39.
2. Tadej Pogacar (SLO / UAD) at 7:35.
3. Adam Yates (GBR/UAD) 10:45.
4. Carlos Rodríguez (ESP/IGD) 12:01.
5. Simon Yates (GBR/JAY) 12:19.
6. Pello Bilbao (ESP/TBV) 12:50.
7. Jai Hindley (AUS/BOH) 13:50.
8. Felix Gall (AUT/ACT) 16:11.
9. Sepp Kuss (USA/TJV) 16:49.
10. David Gaudu (FRA/GFC) 17:57.
► The profile of the 19th stage
For Christian Prudhomme, the director of the Tour de France: “The stage meanders between the many lakes of the Jura, without trying to venture onto the peaks of the department. It is not the Côte d’Ivory, located about thirty kilometers from the finish, which will prevent the sprinters from taking advantage of a gigantic launching track: a little over 8 kilometers of final straight line. »
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