2023 Season, Grand Tours, Tour de France

Tour Moments of Joy: Stage 18 – The Quartet that Dared

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There is NOTHING I love better than a daring breakaway smashing the odds and breaking the dreams of the sprint teams and that’s EXACTLY what happened in Stage 18 of the Tour de France. It took all four of the breakaway riders to keep the fast men at bay but only one could win. That honour went to Soudal Quick-Step’s Dane Kasper Asgreen. My moment of joy is for the quartet that dared and won.

Former World hours record holder Victor Campenaerts (Lotto-Dstny), Tour of Flanders winner Kasper Asgreen and UNO-X powerhouse Jonas Abrahamsen rolled off the front when the flag dropped.

It seemed a futile escapade as the peloton kept them almost within eyesight all day. That caused problems as the gap was bridgeable and riders wanted to bridge. After some overly aggressive tactics from Alpecin -Deceuninck’s Jasper Philipsen,

Pascal Eenkhoorn finally joined teammate Victor and three became four.

The quartet rode with steely intent, all taking their turns, all putting in 100 percent and no faffing about. It didn’t seem possible, but four rouleurs of this stature with a single goal in mind can achieve the impossible.

With 10km to go they had 20secs, at 4km it was slashed in half.

They kept riding, they had no option if they wanted to have any chance. They may still have been caught if not for Victor Campenaerts pulling like a train in the final kilometre to set his teammate up, and the Quicksteppers running interference in the chasing group.

Just sit back and watch how close it was in the final kilometre

To be honest we didn’t speak at all. Everybody committed and I think there was an understanding between everybody that if this was to work out we couldn’t look at each other we had to save everything, we had to put it all into it and if we did that we could get victory today – Kasper Asgreen

Who would have thought we’d have to wait until Stage 18 for the Wolfpack to take their first victory.

OK, I’ve held it all in until now because this moment of joy is for our quartet, but OMG it’s another Danish win!!! I’m thrilled for Kasper who has had a tough battle to regain his top form this year. Look at that smile #DanishDynamite

Loved that he had words of praise for his breakaway companions today and dedicated his win to retiring teammate Dries Devenyns

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Uno-X have had a dream debut at the Tour and another podium with Jonas today just adds to their palmares. I’m still hoping they’ll make the top step.

The Lotto-Dstny duo played every card they had and came so close again.

I admire the way Victor Campanearts rides, every pedal stroke a masterpiece of power and a master tactician. Definitely deserved the most combative rider award today. The way he raced to try and take fourth after that HUGE turn on the front made my heart sing.

I was the only rider caught by the peloton, but we were really going for Pascal in the sprint. It’s bittersweet, but also in that there’s a sweet part.

I leave you with this from GCN’s Adam Blyth on the Moto – enjoy.

Stage Results

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