Cycling: Kasper Asgreen won the 18th stage. The Dane saved his team Soudal - Quick-Step the Tour de France. The sprinter teams, on the other hand, gambled quite a bit.
Asgreen wins its Grand Tour stage
The sprinters didn't use their penultimate chance before the final stage in Paris. After 184,9 kilometers from Moûtiers to Bourg-en-Bresse, the mass sprint did not take place as expected. Even if it actually looked like it all day. Because the sprinter teams always kept the three breakaways on a short leash. The trio had a lead of over 80 seconds Kasper Asgreen (Soudal – Quick Step), Victor Campenaerts (Lotto – Dstny) and Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X) never. Only later came with me Pascal Eenkhoorn (Lotto – Dstny) added a fourth man. However, the gap was kept small. And although only 15 seconds were reported with 25 kilometers to go, the quartet was finally able to prevail. Campenaerts moved in for his teammate but Asgreen was faster. The Dane thus celebrates his first stage win in a Grand Tour.
Philipsen can be provoked
With four stage wins in this year's Tour de France Jasper Phillipsen (Alpecin – Deceuninck) without a doubt one of the most successful drivers in recent weeks. Nevertheless, the Belgian let himself be carried away to an ugly scene today. When more riders from the peloton wanted to attack around 70 kilometers from the finish, he and his teammates initially blocked the way. The man in the green jersey then drove behind to thwart the attack. He seemed about to push a Lotto – Dstny driver off the road while exchanging a few words with him. Finally drove Pascal Eenkhoorn (Lotto – Dstny) got ahead – and the stage win went to the breakaway.
Geschke has to give up the Tour de France
Three days before the end of the Tour de France Simon Geschke (Cofidis) unfortunately give up the race. The German, who was still able to fight for the mountain jersey last year, stayed behind the peloton all day long. Finally he got off his bike completely exhausted. Yesterday he complained about chills after the stage. Also wout van aert (Jumbo – Visma) is no longer included. The Belgian made the journey home to his wife because she is expecting their child.
Kasper Asgreen saves the Tour de France for Soudal-QuickStep as the breakaway holds off the rampaging sprinters pic.twitter.com/Drjxf60onJ
— Cyclist (@cyclist) July 20, 2023