\n<\/p>\n
Kasper Asgreen claimed his first Tour de France stage victory as he held on to win stage 18 from an epic breakaway.<\/span><\/p>\n The Soudal Quick-Step rider, 28, was part of a four-man group which seemed destined to be caught during the closing stages in Bourg-en-Bresse.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n But the leaders managed to stay clear, with Dane Asgreen outsprinting Pascal Eenkhorn and Jonas Abrahamsen.<\/span><\/p>\n Compatriot Jonas Vingegaard maintained his comfortable overall lead with just three stages left.<\/span><\/p>\n Two-time winner Tadej Pogacar remains seven minutes and 35 seconds behind the defending champion, with Britain’s Adam Yates third.<\/span><\/p>\n Jasper Philipsen was hoping for his fifth stage win of this year’s Tour on the flat 184.9km route from Moutiers.<\/span><\/p>\n The stage appeared a perfect opportunity for the sprinters to take centre stage after coming through five successive mountain stages – including Wednesday’s gruelling Queen stage to Courchevel.<\/span><\/p>\n And although the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider managed to pass Victor Campenaerts metres from the finish, the peloton had left it fractionally too late to reel in the rest of the breakaway group.<\/span><\/p>\n This was not supposed to happen.<\/span><\/p>\n Only three men broke clear initially once the racing got under way, with Asgreen, Campenaerts and Jonas Abrahamsen eventually joined by Pascal Eenkhoorn.<\/span><\/p>\n That was after an initial attempt by Eenkhoorn had been shut down by Philipsen, and the lead four were never allowed much more than a one-minute advantage.<\/span><\/p>\n But a disorganised peloton misjudged its final effort, leading to a thrilling chase to the finish in which Campenaerts took one last significant turn on the front to ensure the breakaway prevailed – with Asgreen showing the best legs in the closing metres.<\/span><\/p>\n Friday’s 19th stage appears a chance for the sprint teams to redeem themselves as the peloton travels across the Jura Mountains, without tackling any major climbs, over a 172.8km route from Moirans-en-Montagne to Poligny.<\/span><\/p>\n 1. Kasper Asgreen (Den\/Soudal-Quick-Step) 4hrs 06min 48secs<\/span><\/p>\n 2. Pascal Eenkhorn (Ned\/Lotto-Dstny) same time<\/span><\/p>\n 3. Jonas Abrahamsen (Nor\/Uno-X) <\/span><\/p>\n 4. Jasper Philipsen (Bel\/Alpecin-Deceuninck)<\/span><\/p>\n 5. Mads Pedersen (Den\/Lidl-Trek)<\/span><\/p>\n 6. Cees Bol (Ned\/Astana Qazaqstan)<\/span><\/p>\n 7. Jordi Meeus (Bel\/Bora-Hansgrohe)<\/span><\/p>\n 8. Matteo Trentin (Ita\/UAE Team Emirates)<\/span><\/p>\n 9. Christophe Laporte (Fra\/Jumbo-Visma)<\/span><\/p>\n 10. Luca Mozzato (Ita\/Arkea-Samsic)<\/span><\/p>\n 1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den\/Jumbo-Visma) 72hrs 04mins 39secs<\/span><\/p>\n 2. Tadej Pogacar (Slo\/UAE Team Emirates) +7min 35secs<\/span><\/p>\n 3. Adam Yates (GB\/UAE Team Emirates) +10mins 45secs<\/span><\/p>\n 4. Carlos Rodriguez Cano (Spa\/Ineos Grenadiers) +12mins 1sec<\/span><\/p>\n 5. Simon Yates (GB\/Team Jayco-AlUla) +12mins 19secs<\/span><\/p>\n 6. Pello Bilbao (Spa\/Bahrain Victorious) +12mins 50secs<\/span><\/p>\n 7. Jai Hindley (Aus\/Bora-Hansgrohe) +13mins 50secs<\/span><\/p>\nHow an unlikely breakaway victory unfolded<\/h3>\n
Stage 18 results<\/h3>\n
General classification after stage 18<\/h3>\n