20/07/2023

Joy at last for Soudal - Quick-Step as Kasper Asgreen takes thrilling breakaway win narrowly holding off the peloton

In a dramatic finale, Kasper Asgreen held on to the secure a breakaway stage win ahead of a raging peloton on stage 18 at the Tour de France to finally secure victory for Soudal - Quick-Step

Jonas Vingegaard has virtually sealed the overall win at the Tour de France, now in the coming two days the sprinters will headline the days. Stage 18 will be the return to flat roads after many tough days.

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With 12 teams yet to take a stage win at this year's race, some had thought this could have been a day where the break thwarted the sprinters. After such a brutal few days though the peloton was tired and as such only three riders opted to go in the break, Kasper Asgreen (Soudal - Quick Step), Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Dstny) and Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team).

The sprint teams kept the break on an incredibly tight leash, never allowing more than a minute and a half's advantage for the leading trio.

With just under 80km to go and the break at just 40 seconds, some riders attempted to launch counter-attacks. Raising the ire of Alpecin-Deceuninck, Jasper Philipsen took matters into his own hands, physically blocking attacks in a controversial move.

Despite Philipsen's blocking, Pascal Eenkhoorn did eventually manage to get up to the break and join his teammate Campenaerts, making the leading trio a quartet.

The extra pair of legs in the break had seemingly made a slight difference as the break's advantage stretched back out over a minute after dropping as though as near 20 seconds.

As more teams came to the front of the bunch though it seemed as if it was just a matter of time before the break was reeled in.

With 10km to go, the gap was just 23 seconds, but the majority of the chasing riders has given their all.

5km and the break still maintained an advantage of 14 seconds.

The peloton came through the 3km to go banner with the gap just 9 seconds.

Heading into the final kilometre, still the break were dangling out in front of the bunch. As the sprinters launched their respective moves, they were just too late with Kasper Asgreen holding on for the win ahead of Eenkhoorn and Abrahamsen.