In a sensational turn of events, Matej Mohorič of the Bahrain Victorious team outperformed stage 18 winner Kasper Asgreen of Soudal Quick-Step to achieve an extraordinary win from the breakaway in stage 19 of the Tour de France. This victory was achieved after a spirited three-up sprint for the finish line in Poligny, in which the pair managed to surpass Australian cyclist Ben O’Connor of AG2R Citroen.
The breakaway attempt was initially led by Asgreen on the category 3 Côte d’Ivry climb during the race’s final phase. The trio managed to maintain their advantage, staving off the chase from a group that included high-profile riders such as Mathieu van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen from Alpecin Deceuninck, Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek, Christophe Laporte of Jumbo-Visma, and Tom Pidcock from Ineos Grenadiers. Philipsen managed to clinch fourth place, just behind O’Connor, and now has one last opportunity in the final day in Paris to secure his fifth stage victory in this Tour. Asgreen, on the other hand, was extraordinarily close to securing his second stage win in two days.
The main peloton, which included race leader Jonas Vingegaard from Jumbo-Visma, concluded the stage ten minutes behind the leaders. Over 30 riders managed to get into the breakaway, and several small groups finished between Mohorič and the main field.
The Slovenian cyclist Mohorič expressed his emotional struggle during the award ceremony, discussing his arduous journey towards this victory, the fifth-fastest stage in Tour history. His win was confirmed by a mere four-thousandths of a second over Asgreen, making it the closest finish ever recorded. This victory marked his third-ever stage win and led to a heartfelt outpouring of emotion.
Mohorič’s win held even more significance due to the recent tragic death of his teammate Gino Mäder, who died after crashing into a ravine at the Tour de Suisse last month.
Despite several riders encountering setbacks, including Nils Politt’s chain breaking, Simon Clarke suffering cramps, Warren Barguil experiencing a flat tyre, and Corbin Strong crashing while chasing the three leaders, Vingegaard played it safe, maintaining his overall lead.
With just two stages remaining, including Sunday’s finish on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, the Danish rider Vingegaard, boasting a lead of 7 minutes, 35 seconds over two-time champion Tadej Pogačar, remains a clear favourite to claim his second Tour victory.
2023 Tour de France Stage 19 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
