Kasper Asgreen took a superb stage win from the breakaway on stage 18 of the Tour de France in Bourg-en-Bresse.
After a long day up the road with Pascal Eenkhorn and Victor Campenaerts (Lotto-Dstny) as well as Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X), the Danish rider held on by a handful of metres to grab Soudal Quick-Step’s first win of the race ahead of the rampaging peloton.
As the leaders tore under the flamme rouge, the catch seemed somewhat inevitable although Campenaerts had other ideas. The Lotto rider put in one huge final turn with the finish line in sight as he looked to set up Eenkhorn but Asgreen would capitalise on the move from the Lotto riders.
The former Tour of Flanders winner launched a powerful sprint in the last 300 metres to take a sensational victory and his first at the Tour. Eenkhorn took second and Abrahamsen grabbed third.
Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin-Deceuninck took fourth ahead of Lidl-Trek’s Mads Pedersen. Philipsen will now have to wait for a fifth stage win in the 2023 Tour.
Jonas Vingegaard came home safely in the main field surrounded by his teammates to defend his lead in the yellow jersey. As expected, there were no changes in the overall standings or any of the other competitions.
