tour reporter
On paper, the 18th stage of the Tour de France seemed made for a mass sprint. But with Kasper Asgreen wins one of four breakaways who are better in the strategy game against the field.
The four riders in front still had one kilometer to go to the finish line Bourg en Bresse, the flame rouge was reached and the rushing field was still a few seconds behind. That was when Kasper Asgreen the first time thought: “It works, we’ll get through.” At least that’s what the Dane said later. Moments after that thought crossed his mind, Asgren spread his arms and let out a long scream.
A lot of things came together that had to come out at that moment: The joy of this victory on the 18th stage of the Tour de France, which meant the end of a long personal period of suffering and finally brought satisfaction to his team Soudal-QuickStep well into the third week of the tour. And the astonishment that this coup had actually succeeded on a day that should have belonged to the sprinters.
The composition of the group is no coincidence
“I’ve been to the other end of stages like this many times before. And it’s not the first time in the last week of the tour that a small group of breakaways have managed to pull off a win like this.”, Asgreen said. That’s why he already believed in his chance in the morning, because the drivers of the other teams also had to do the work in the chasing field, and after two and a half weeks of exertion they were no longer in full possession of their strength.
It was a kind of strategy game between the escapees and the peloton over the 184.9 kilometers. Asgreen and his escape partner, the Norwegian Jonas Abrahamsen and the Belgian Victor Campenaerts, jumped away with one of the first attacks. A little more than halfway through, Campaenart’s Dutch team-mate joined them Pascal Eenkhoorn in addition.
Even the composition was no coincidence. Abrahamsen’s team UNO X is on the tour at the invitation of the organizer, so hopeless breakaway attempts are also expected. Asgreen’s team soudal–QuickStep as well as the Lotto-dstny team from Campenaerts and Eenkhorn, their sprinters Fabio Jakobsen and caleb ewan got lost.
Outliers save energy
And yet it seemed futile as the field never gave the trio and later the quartet a lead of more than a minute. The German professional cyclist Nikias Arndt later suspected that in the end there were not enough riders from the other teams to close the gap. But the drivers at the front had also made their thoughts. “If they only give one minute at the back, then they can take it easy up front too. Until the moment when they know okay: now we have to go full throttle.”said Tom Steelsthe Athletic Director of Asgreens team.
That moment had come shortly after Eenkhoorn had caught up to the front. Campenaerts and Asgreen as time trial specialists were not insignificant for the group at the front. And the narrow gap behind also prevented the four escapees from starting to play games. “We knew that we all had to give our all, not look at each other”Asgreen said. “It was the only way we had a chance of winning.”
Asgreen has endured a year of suffering
In the end, however, only one of the four was able to win this victory. And that was Asgreen after Campenaerts had tried in vain to prepare the sprint for his teammate Eenkhoorn. The Dane was faster, ending a year of suffering that began with a crash at the 2022 Tour de Suisse, the aftermath of which also forced him to retire from last year’s Tour de France. It wasn’t until this spring that his body felt normal again, Asgreen reported: “I dedicate the victory to all the people who helped me get through this difficult time.”
This success in Bourg-en-Bresse also helps his team. Asgreen’s team has brought home at least one stage win from France every year for the past 11 years. But this year, the Belgian team threatened to go away empty-handed because Jakobsen had to give up after his fall in the final of stage 4 a few days later. The Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe While trying many times, the two-time world champion lacks form and fortune. “But that kept our spirit high”Steels said.
The stage to Bourg-en-Bresse was probably the penultimate chance for the team to achieve success. Kasper Asgreen used them. The other teams, who are now left empty-handed, don’t have too many opportunities now. The 19th stage on Friday offers breakaways another chance for success. Unless the sprinter teams are looking for revenge.