TOPS
The lively Slovenian, at the end of the suspense and after a long and meticulous analysis of the photo-finish, won in Poligny his 3rd stage victory on the Tour (2nd in 2021). The 3rd stage victory on this Tour for the Bahrain Victorious team (after Pello Bilbao in Issoire, 12th stage and Wout Poels in Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc). A success accompanied by intense emotion by the winner of Milan-San Remo 2022 and a team that is moving forward in memory of the Swiss Gino Mader, who died in June on the roads of the Tour de Suisse. After Asgreen prolonging the Danish euphoria on Thursday, Mohoric – who outstripped the rider of the Soudal-Quick Step team by a breath in Poligny – made Slovenia talk again.
The stage did not suffer from the slightest downtime. Started flat out, the 19th stage was completed this Friday at 49.137 km / h (the fastest of the edition). The final with scattered groups beyond the control of the sprinter teams served up an intense spectacle and suspense.
Winner in the face of the sprinters in Bourg-en-Bresse on Friday, the Dane once again lived the day in the lead. In the company of the Australian Ben O’Connor (AG2R-Citroën) and the Slovenian Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious), he still hung on with rage for a few precious seconds in the final (27” at 7 km from the line). Before being preceded by a breath on the photo-finish.
The ground suited him less but Ben O’Connor, freed from his obligations as leader, stood out. Carried to the front of the race, he played his all in the last 450 meters. By starting the sprint. By taking a few meters ahead of Mohoric and Asgreen, before being overtaken. After Felix Gall’s victory in Courchevel (17th stage), the team managed by Vincent Lavenu proves that they are finishing strong.
FLOPS
The Soudal-Quick Step team relieved by Kasper Asgreen’s stage victory in Bourg-en-Bresse (18th stage) evolved liberated, like Julian Alaphilippe once again on the attack. But as often on this Tour, the double world champion, did not find the opening. He then bent to team play, working to promote the designs of Asgreen having managed to climb to the front of the race.
The German from the Bora-Hangsrohe team had managed to catch a good wagon, before being stopped. Broken chain. Quickly repaired by the neutral repair car which provided him with a bike that did not suit him… Nils Politt saw precious seconds fly by. Finally 64th at 13’43”, in the time of the yellow jersey Jonas Vingegaard and his runner-up Tadej Pogacar.
Surprises in Bourg-en-Bresse on Thursday, the sprinters teams could not take their revenge in Poligny, this Friday. The green jersey Jasper Philipsen (4th) beat Mads Pedersen and Christophe Laporte. The enterprising spirit of the breakaways combined with the accumulated fatigue of three weeks of racing offered possibilities. Asgreen and Mohoric, experienced and inspired, knew how to seize them.