Tour de France: Unchained (2023) s02e07 Episode Script
Season 2, Episode 7
[intense music playing]
Sorry, Fabio.
[commentator]
This finish is going to be explosive.
- [horns honking]
- [crowd cheering]
Oh, crash! A crash in the peloton.
[metal scraping]
[echoing] Fabio Jakobsen is down.
[groaning in pain]
[Lefevere] We were convinced
we had to build a team around Fabio.
He's one of
the best sprinters in the world.
[commentator] It's absolute carnage!
[ambulance siren blaring]
[Jakobsen grunts]
I felt immediately
that the wounds were big.
Because you can feel that it's burning.
[man] Okay?
[Jakobsen] It's like stinging.
Like with a knife, you cut yourself.
I already knew that
it was going to become a hard few days.
[commentator] Fabio Jakobsen,
yesterday's crash has left a lot of scars.
Fabio, it's better, no?
A bit better, but not good yet.
[Jakobsen] It's sometimes hard
to stay positive, because of the pain.
Your mind and your body say,
"Whoa, this is not what
we want to be doing any more."
[crowd yelling, cheering]
[Asgreen] He's our leader
for the bunch sprints,
and the main guy to try to get us
the stage wins that we're aiming for.
[commentator] A fourth win
for Jasper Philipsen.
[Jakobsen] Today, the team
bring me in perfect position.
But now, I I don't have the legs.
So it's Yeah, it makes me sad.
[Alaphilippe] A high speed crash
doesn't just affect you physically.
When you go through that turmoil,
it's psychological.
[reporter] This team is used to winning
Tour de France stages every year.
Do you feel the pressure
is starting to build up a bit?
We were afraid this could be the year
that we didn't win a stage in the Tour.
[dramatic percussive theme playing]
[crowd cheering]
[rhythmic synth music playing]
[indistinct announcement on PA]
[commentator] Friends,
we're in for treat today
on the roads of the wine region.
[woman] Thank you!
- No worries.
- Good luck.
[music becomes worrying]
[Jakobsen] Woke up this morning,
I was the first at breakfast.
Then Tom Steels said to me,
"If you want to quit today, I understand."
Then we looked at each other and I said,
"Tom, I don't think
it's wise for me to start today."
[man] We feel deeply sorry for you.
I give my best and the body don't want to
to push hard.
My recovery is not well, and
The legs and the body only gets
worse and worse and worse, so
Yeah.
It's just shit.
[melancholy music playing]
[commentator] The news of the day is that
Fabio Jakobsen has
abandoned the Tour de France
after his injuries on stage four.
Fabio, thank you for everything.
[Steels] Okay, guys.
Unfortunately, Fabio goes home today.
Cycling is a sport that
you have to do with a healthy body.
If you feel it doesn't go, it doesn't go.
Then you take care of yourself,
and you come back stronger than before.
[Lefevere] This team was
really made in function of Fabio.
We are fighters, we are the Wolfpack.
Going home without victory
never happened to us.
But if your sprinter is in the ground,
and you come with one sprinter,
all your tactics are in the ground.
So then you have to go to plan B.
- [claps]
- Action.
Julian Alaphilippe,
I cycle professionally
with team Soudal Quick-Step.
The thing that still drives me is winning.
[commentator] Final sprint.
Alaphilippe has 150 metres to go.
He will claim his place
today in Pau! Magnif icent!
Julian Alaphilippe is
the boss of the Tour de France.
- [crowd cheering]
- [camera shutters clicking]
He won stages, he's had the yellow
in the Tour de France, and he's French.
He's, uh, the chouchou
of the French people.
[crowd chanting]
He broke a record yesterday.
And it's the first time for 35 years
since we've had a French yellow jersey
win a time trial at Pau.
When you attain your objectives,
you have to set yourself new ones,
and there's still so much to achieve.
I've made a reality
one of my biggest dreams in cycling,
- The rainbow jersey.
- Twice now.
If you weren't convinced the first time,
I did it again. Boom, boom.
The hardest part
isn't achieving your dreams,
it's keeping your dreams at that level.
To keep the dreams alive.
Right, that's enough for now.
That was terrific.
[beeping]
Last year was the most
challenging season of my career,
with a string of crashes.
Oh!
It was a period of reflection.
Not just because I decided
to not compete in the Tour,
but also there was the crash at Liège.
[commentator]
A massive crash in the peloton.
Multiple riders on the ground.
Julian Alaphilippe is in the ditch.
[Alaphilippe] And as soon as
I went back to training, physically
I felt different. Um
And mentally too.
I found that really hard.
I saw flashes of the crash.
[echoing] Oh!
Heard the noise.
It all really affected me.
And I don't want
to go through it all again.
So it's taken me some time to move on.
[indistinct studio chatter]
Um, we got him back after
a really bad year. [laughs]
Finally.
Change that jersey, young man.
[reporter 1] What about you?
You satisfied?
- I'm never satisfied.
- Really? Why not?
Because that's my that's my nature.
[reporter 2] Oh right.
It's a showdown between
French cyclist, Julian Alaphilippe,
and the director of Quick-Step,
Patrick Lefevere.
He crashed into the barrier.
[journalist] Patrick Lefevere,
Julian Alaphilippe. Nothing's working.
What's going on?
He feels that his rider is well paid
but doesn't always get results.
[interviewer] So, how much
do you get paid?
A little too much for Patrick.
[interviewer laughs] Well
Will you keep that?
[crew laughing]
A 2.3 million euros salary
for Julian Alaphilippe per season.
You, me, everyone
has to justify their salary.
It's really simple.
He's no different.
He's the leader, so we expect results.
[Alaphilippe] There are
high expectations of me,
and people want
a return on their investment.
Patrick, he speaks to the media and
that's all right, but I just
gotta cycle better and win races.
[reporter] Does Julian need to justify
the chunk of money that he's
I'm a little bit tired
of that kind of shit questions.
I said it once.
I said it to the people
who have to know it.
Him, his agent, his wife.
And if the press asks me, I'm not a liar.
[Steels] With every paycheck
comes a certain expectation.
Cycling is not a fairy tale.
To get criticism from the boss,
I think it's never easy, it's never nice,
but it has to put you sharp.
[Steels] I think for Julian,
be sharp, be there in the front.
And, just, uh just fight to get it.
We try to win one for Fabio today, eh?
Okay?
[fans clamouring] Julian!
[fan] Come on, Julian, we're behind you.
Go on, you're a champion!
Show them you can still do it.
[crowd cheering]
[intense music playing]
Come on, Mathieu. Vamos!
[announcer in French]
Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One!
They're off!
[commentator in English] 168 riders
at the start line and one non-starter,
Fabio Jakobsen,
the Soudal Quick-Step sprinter.
Stage 12 kicks off,
a stage that isn't for the faint-hearted.
[crowd cheering]
[Alaphilippe] We had to regroup.
And quickly.
As soon as we lost Fabio,
we had to focus on other goals
apart from on the sprints.
We really needed to get a victory.
[commentator]
This is the front of the race.
Another 100 kilometres to go.
Come on, eh, boys.
[commentator]
Attack of Julian Alaphillipe.
Can he catch up with the front group?
For sure when the climb comes,
behind you, they will all explode.
[Lefevere] He's not the best climber.
He's not the best sprinter.
But if he has his D-Day,
then in a tactical way, he's very smart.
[commentator] Julian Alaphilippe
on his own, giving his all
to get back to the front of the race.
This could be a great opportunity
for him to go for a stage win.
He is really pushing himself.
You have to ride till the finish line.
Come on!
He's caught up to the front group.
Can he now win the stage?
- [crowd cheering]
- [cowbell ringing]
[commentator]
Oh, Julian Alaphilippe is in difficulty.
Come on. Use all the character
you have to get over it. Come on!
It's not happening today.
He doesn't have the legs.
He's going to need to take a breather.
[Alaphlippe] I grabbed
the opportunities that came my way
by trying to break away a lot,
but I felt that I wasn't
where I wanted to be, physically.
Come on, Julian.
Stay on the wheel. Come on!
And then, on top of that,
if you're in a situation
where you've got your team riding for you,
to support you,
to help you achieve your goal.
and it doesn't work out in the end,
you feel remorse
and self-pity,
and disappointment.
[melancholy music playing]
[commentator] J ulian Alaphilippe
out of the saddle.
You can see the tension in his legs.
He has to let the front group go now.
Fuck!
Shame.
Shit.
[commentator]
Julian seems mentally strong.
The problem is that he's just
not physically up to par this year.
[music intensifies]
[Lefevere] He lost a little bit of
qualities he had a few years ago.
He knows he's a well-paid boy.
So he also feels this responsibility.
And not really performing
as he wants and we want.
Fuck's sake.
[fan] Well done, Julian!
Well done, Julian! Well done!
I'm gutted. I'm wiped out.
[man] You okay, Julian?
[fan 2] Well done, Julian.
I lost my glasses. That sucks.
It was a really tough fight
to get to the front.
I didn't have enough energy
to keep on the wheel of the other guys.
It was just all too difficult.
You all right?
[Alaphilippe] I'm busting
a gut for nothing.
Well, that's life.
[interviewer] So you're pleased
with Julian? With everything he's done?
Well, he did his best, but it
Well, I just hope that
it wasn't all a waste of effort.
Or it'll be the first time since '94 '92
that I don't get a stage win.
Do you know how many years that is?
[crowd cheering]
[tense rhythmic music playing]
Now, it's time for more flat racing.
Welcome to stage 18.
We've lost another sprinter today.
Nathan, mate, you rode strong today.
Following on from Fabio Jakobsen,
now Wout Van Aert
is out of the Tour de France
to join his wife,
who is about to give birth.
[in Flemish] I always
thought that I would go home
whenever my wife indicated
that she needed me
and that time has come.
[helicopter blades whirring]
[car horn honking]
With just four stages left,
time is pressing for Soudal Quick-Step.
The question right now is knowing
how to beat the fastest rider in the Tour,
Jasper Philipsen.
[crowd clamouring]
[Roodhooft] A day of opportunities again,
it's our duty today
to bring it to a sprint.
We are a team of of winners.
We want our piece of the cake.
We need guys like Jasper Philipsen
because he is fast at the finish line.
On a normal day, he always wins.
Stage 18 is child's play
for Jasper Philipsen,
who is convinced he's going to win it.
[Philipsen] You always want more.
Even if you've won five,
you want to win six.
You've won six? You want seven.
Oh! That feels so good.
[rider] I think if he wants
he can win today, yeah?
- You're on top.
- You get me excited.
[laughs]
Hey, it's your day!
[reporter] Julian, just one question,
what's the answer
to beating Philipsen in a sprint?
I don't know. Ride a motorbike maybe?
[people laughing]
[commentator] Today, the teams
without sprinters have a chance.
[crowd cheering]
[coach] It's important to be
in the breakaway today, guys. Got that?
The more of us get in the breakaway,
the better for us at the finish.
[Jurdie] So, the goal really
is to get people up front.
Guys, we don't choose
who gets to go in the breakaway.
It's the head and legs that decide.
A breakaway, quite simply,
is a group of riders
who break away from the main body.
And they try
to stay away to the finish line.
A breakaway more often
than not is doomed on sprint stages.
But if you're not in it,
you're never going to win it.
We have still the possibility
to gain some place,
especially if the race goes to the break.
More often than not,
there are sprint stages
in the third week that end up
being breakaway stages.
We control the whole day.
Yes, today, when we
- And we also
- No, I want to pull first.
[Mohorič] It would be incredibly hard
to just get into the breakaway,
and then even harder to to actually go
all the way to the finish line.
[Steels] All right, gentlemen.
Stage 18. Uh
So we're all gonna go for the breakaway.
We try to escape today.
It's an opportunity. We go for it.
If somebody goes, you help him.
You need each other
to win a stage in the Tour.
We've suffered already.
I think now it's our chance just to go,
be in, and to try to, uh to win a stage.
[Asgreen] We were underperforming.
We have one goal, and that's stage wins.
Obviously, I wanted to get that big win.
My name is Kasper Asgreen.
I ride for Soudal Quick-Step.
I, uh should probably say
I'm a cyclist for Soudal Quick-Step.
[chuckles]
[clicking]
[in Danish] You ready?
[Lefevere in English]
Kasper Asgreen, he's a strange guy.
[chuckles]
He's a Danish. They are all very special.
He has his own mental way
to prepare a race.
[Asgreen] I'll do
three-day blocks of training.
Two days with two types
of different efforts,
and then a bit of a longer ride,
just to build up the endurance.
One gym session per training block,
and then a rest day,
and then you start over.
I think I'm definitely one of the guys
that puts in the most hours.
Like, the most strict with the
with the schedule.
He has no limit on training.
If you say to Kasper
it's -5 in Denmark in the winter,
and he has to do five hours, he does it.
He doesn't think about it,
he just does it.
He always wants to improve.
Everything is much smoother
tomorrow if you just do it immediately.
[interviewer] How do you think
your teammates would describe you?
Uh
Yeah, I think probably
"solitary" is a good word.
I sometimes have
my own way of of doing things.
On training camps, I'll often sit,
like, uh, 100 metres behind the group,
just to have wind in my face all the time,
and always keep the intensity up.
I hope they don't think I'm too weird,
but it's, uh
You know, it's I know I am.
I try not to be, uh not to be too weird.
[laughs]
Kasper Asgreen is
an exceptionally talented rider.
He's been national
time trial champion several times.
He's won one of the biggest
one-day races in the sport.
The Tour de France, however,
is a different beast.
He's brought here as a domestique.
He's never won a stage
of the Tour de France.
Winning a stage is simply not his job.
[announcer in French]
Five, four, three, two, one!
They're off!
[crowd cheering]
[commentator] Stage 18
starts for real now.
And Denmark's former national champion,
Kasper Asgreen of Soudal Quick-Step,
doesn't waste any time.
He's already attacking.
[over radio] An immediate surge
from Soudal Quick-Step.
Fuck me!
Stupid.
Who's charged ahead?
Kasper.
[commentator] Kasper Asgreen
must have a plan.
We were like, "How the hell?"
You know it's very difficult that
the breakaway goes to the finish line.
You'll have like 10% chance it will work.
Okay, Kasper, if you still hear us,
just take it easy.
Just take it easy.
[Asgreen] I don't know if it was
the team plan, but it was my plan.
I had no doubts. I was just all-in.
It's all about trying to get that win
for us so we don't go home empty-handed.
[commentator] Asgreen sets the tempo.
The gap is now one minute 34 seconds.
[Chennaoui] Three riders against the whole
weight and power of the peloton behind.
It's pretty much a kamikaze mission.
There was 180 kilometres maybe
in the headwind with
three against a full peloton.
So, uh, yeah, I say good luck.
[Mohorič] When Kasper made his breakaway,
everyone was just afraid to follow.
Afraid to hurt your body even more.
Everyone was on their hands and knees,
and so exhausted from
the whole race, in general.
[commentator] He's racing for now,
but it's entirely possible
that he'll be told to stop
because there's not much point.
Little hope today for the breakaway.
[Steels] Thirty seconds, three-zero.
Kaspy, you know, 30 seconds is not much.
You just take it easy in the front.
Or they catch you or they don't.
[commentator] Today, the sprinters
are looking for a fight,
and they're watching
this breakaway very closely.
[crew member] Come on. Push it. Push it.
[commentator] For now, the peloton has
the situation under control,
but it's going to take
a lot of effort to stay at the front.
[tense music playing]
[Chennaoui] Jasper Philipsen's plan
will be to allow a safe breakaway.
But keeping them on a fairly short leash
so that you know
you can bring them back again
in time for the sprint finish.
[cheering]
[commentator]
Jasper Philipsen blocks the road.
- What's he doing? It's Philipsen.
- Come on! Philipsen, such a stupid shit.
[commentator] Philipsen using
a bit of intimidation.
He has no intention of letting
any other riders join the breakaway.
[music intensifies]
[Asgreen] To keep the peloton away
was incredibly hard.
I was suffering,
I had pain everywhere from sitting
in that aggressive position the whole day.
And just pushing, pushing.
It really takes a toll on the body.
[fans cheering]
They're gonna take it home.
You'll see I'm not wrong.
Yeah.
[Steels] Yeah. At that moment,
we started to believe.
[Asgreen] I was happy to be in front,
but I knew it was not over yet.
So it was really a fight,
and get as much power as possible
into the pedals and into the road.
[Steels] Now we have
to get the team organised.
Protect the breakaway
and we give them
the full support to win the stage.
[commentator] You have to wonder what
Soudal Quick-Step are playing at here.
They really need to slow down more.
Julian Alaphilippe joins
the front of the peloton,
causing trouble for the group behind.
I'll do whatever I can,
I mean anything,
just to get Kasper to the front.
There's no question.
[commentator] He's not making
any friends in the peloton today,
but he's not here to do that.
If I can, I'll get myself
to the front group
to break up their momentum
and slow them down,
just for half a second, or even a second.
[commentator] Alaphilippe working for
his team by coming to disrupt this chase.
What a great job
by the former world champion.
It could be that one second that
makes guys at the back throw in the towel,
or guys at the front.
It really is a very cool trick.
You stick together in the front.
Good boys. Good boys.
[commentator] You can see
the Alpecin-Deceuninck riders
starting to get a little nervous.
[intense music playing]
62 km an hour in the breakaway,
61 km in the peloton.
We were riding full gas in the peloton,
and we were not coming closer.
They were, yeah,
stronger than we expected.
Come on, Kaspy, with the guys.
Help each other out. Come on!
[commentator] 18 seconds
with six kilometres to go.
The gap is closing.
Bravo, Kaspy. Come on. Bravo.
Just keep fighting.
[commentator] A 13-second lead
for the four at the front.
The peloton is coming back strong.
[crowd cheering]
You get a bit discouraged
when you hear in the radio
that the time gap is going down.
[commentator] Will they get caught?
But then, we kept pushing,
and we kept working together.
[commentator]
Fourteen hundred metres to go.
The breakaway still has
a chance of going all the way.
Ten seconds. You're gonna make it.
Come on. Pull, you guys.
Until the finish line. Come on.
[commentator] The finish line is in sight!
Now we're sprinting
for a Tour de France stage.
[commentator] Can they keep going
all the way to the finish?
Don't stop now, Kaspy. Go! Go, Kaspy!
[commentator] Just 250 metres to go.
Kasper Asgreen accelerates.
Can the breakaway keep it up?
Go, Kaspy. Go, go, go.
[commentator] Behind, Pedersen, Philipsen.
Asgreen out in front and behind him
It's incredible! The breakaway
stayed away. And Asgreen wins the stage!
And then a split second later,
like, everybody just came past. Woof!
The bunch was so close.
[yelling joyfully]
[screaming] Yeah!
[triumphant music playing]
[in Italian] Yes!
[commentator in English]
No one believed it'd happen,
but the breakaway
stayed ahead of the peloton.
What a race for Kasper Asgreen.
What a sprint!
That's what you call a Wolfpack!
[Steels] To win out the breakaway,
in those circumstances
with that peloton chasing you,
that's very rare.
That was exceptional,
and that made it very, very special.
[crowd cheering]
[Asgreen] For everybody,
it was a it was a big relief.
We can, uh
we can be proud of this year now.
[camera shutters clicking]
I saw a photo where
I was standing like this. [chuckling]
It was like, yeah, it's just surreal
at that point, you know?
[reporter] Honestly, did you think
you were gonna
win a stage of the Tour de France?
I mean, with the bunch
putting the pressure on?
Even a small group can manage
to cheat the sprinter teams.
So, uh, I didn't, uh, rule it out.
Well then?
Holy card, the holy card! Ah!
Come on, guys! This is what we need, man!
[all agreeing indistinctly]
[growls playfully]
[Steels] Julian has given
his teammates the full support.
Does that make Julian, his Tour, perfect?
No.
Oh, so, so, so happy.
So nice, mate!
[Steels] But does that made him
loved within his team?
Yeah, for sure.
That's the things you do as a leader.
[indistinct chatter]
[Philipsen] Did they ride
a motorbike or something? It can't be!
It's impossible.
Impossible.
Impossible.
That can't have happened.
They rode behind the motorcycle.
That can not go on
when we're going all out like that.
It's impossible.
Impossible.
I can understand the frustration.
But yeah.
If another team wins, another team wins.
Hey.
Ridiculous.
[chuckles] There's really no way.
We were in front of the peloton.
We were in control.
It's also a little bit in the
in the sprinter's mind.
It's very difficult to lose,
but you lose more than you win.
[glass clinking loudly]
[Asgreen] Thank you to everybody.
It hasn't been the easiest for us, but
I'm happy to to give back a victory.
It would be a shame
to to break the streak of, uh,
always, uh, taking at least
one victory in the Tour.
Thank you, guys.
[all cheer]
[Lefevere] It's an explosion of joy.
Um, there's, like,
100 kilo falling from your shoulders.
Struggling, uh, to win one stage,
when you're used to winning four or five,
for us that was, like that was a drama.
Not winning a Tour de France stage.
But the Tour is over
on the Champs-Élysées. Not before.
You can't give up before
you've crossed the line in Paris.
[tense music playing]
- Good morning.
- [woman] Good morning.
[indistinct crowd chatter]
Gentlemen, I think everybody found
yesterday a very interesting race.
All the congrats we had. And you
even got a banana with your name on.
But they spelled my name wrong.
Also, congrats for the teammates behind.
The motivation, the blocking of the guys.
No, really well done.
Of course, today is another race,
and we are not here to play cards.
- This you can do the rest of your life.
- [man chuckles]
It's again full-on, maybe the longest
finish of the whole year. Okay.
[Asgreen] After yesterday's win,
I think everybody
has a bit of renewed motivation.
Stage 19. It's a good stage for us.
To be honest,
I need to see how the legs are
and how the body feels
after after yesterday.
Having been in the breakaway
all day yesterday is not ideal.
But you know,
we'll give it another chance today.
[Steels] The first part of the climb
is still okay. Four percent.
The second part is steeper.
[Alaphilippe] We know
that everyone's burned out
from what we pulled off yesterday.
But doing it again would be great.
[Chainel] Quick-Step shattered the idea
of an impossible breakaway.
There's just three days to go
and this strategy they've employed
has become a serious threat
for teams with sprinters.
And so this has fuelled
all those teams that don't have sprinters.
and that want to secure a stage victory.
THE RED POLKA DOT JERSEY
Of course, we tell ourselves
that we'll all go for the breakaway.
Know that today, like yesterday,
could see the fight
run over several kilometres.
[fan] Matej!
[commentator] He'll have to
watch out for Matej Mohorič.
He's got stamina and talent.
Because of what happened
in the breakaway in Stage 18,
we presumed, uh,
the breakaway has a chance.
First objective to go in the break.
Once we are in the break
we can start thinking,
but we need to go full on the climb
to bridge. We can do this, no?
[Mohorič] Stage 19 was the last chance
to get a stage win
for 99% of the riders left in the race,
so I was really determined to make
sharp decisions and give it my best shot.
[soft melodic music playing]
Cycling is becoming
more and more of a sport
where not only physical strength
makes a difference,
but also tactical choices.
The winning margins
sometimes are ridiculously small.
Races are won or lost by by millimetres.
[in Slovenian]
This road bike is really tuned up
so that it's as light, and fast,
and aerodynamic as possible.
It has these flaps for aerodynamics,
but you only need them
if you're riding at 60kph like us.
[in English] I always liked science,
particularly numbers.
I'm a methodical and precise person.
I think about the powers I need to push
on a certain section of the course.
I think about the gap. I think about
the wind. I think about the gradient.
And I think it really, um,
makes me the type of rider I am.
Guys, we go today from
Moirans-en-Montagne à Poligny.
Two KOMs today
and one sprint at 97.7, Jasper.
After yesterday,
never underestimate anything.
But today we we have to try
to make something out of it. Yes?
[announcer] The one who, of course,
holds onto the yellow jersey
[Philipsen] For sure, four stage wins was
already more than my expectations.
But I just want to win one more time
in the in the green jersey.
[Bramati] And the winner of yesterday,
Kasper Asgreen, and he's, uh
Danish! Yeah!
Yes! Brama, I hear you loud and clear.
[commentator] Stage 19 is underway.
A 172.8 kilometre course today.
For the majority of riders,
this is the last chance for a stage win.
After this, it'll be too late.
[tense music playing]
[Mohorič] The whole stage
was just incredibly fast.
It was hard, but I knew since
the start that I have great legs.
[mooing]
[commentator] Are there any riders capable
of repeating yesterday's breakaway?
[music becomes dramatic]
[Asgreen] Very, very hectic start.
There was a lot of riders
that were motivated.
Yeah, I think 'messy"
is a is a good word for it. [laughs]
[commentator] The race has been on
for a while now, and still no breakaway.
[Mohorič] I wasted quite a bit of energy
following and attacking
in the opening two hours,
but I wanted to make sure
that I have no regrets
at the bus after the finish line.
[commentator] Here comes
Kasper Asgreen, attacking again.
There was a split second of hesitation.
But I knew in that moment
that this was the wheel to follow.
[commentator] Matej Mohorič, Ben O'Connor,
Kasper Asgreen try to join Campenaerts,
trying to breathe life
into this breakaway to win this stage.
Oh! Campenaerts cracks.
Just three leaders now,
Mohorič, O'Connor, and Asgreen.
The trio have started out well.
This was my opportunity.
I was like, "Now's the chance."
Now I'm gonna see
if I can pull it off again.
It's a very high average speed.
You can see how hard O'Connor
has to work to stay in their wheels.
[O'Connor] You definitely have to
be in the break today,
but it's hot, it's fast, it's up and down,
and you take a chance and you try to win.
Good, Kaspy. Come on,
let that engine go. Eh?
[Asgreen] I was really suffering.
The body had definitely taken a big toll
after, uh, yesterday's stage.
[commentator] 30-second lead.
That's massive
given the speed of the peloton.
[Mohorič] The whole stage
I was thinking about the physics.
The speeds were incredibly high,
so it was really important
to spend energy wisely.
[crowd cheering]
[commentator] This is how things stand.
Three leaders at the front,
chased by the group we see here.
[Asgreen] The group behind has
both Van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen.
Really fast riders that we definitely
don't want to have join us.
[in Dutch] Twenty seconds. Twenty seconds.
[commentator in English]
Three riders moving
at close to 60 kilometres per hour.
You know the feeling from yesterday.
That gives you wings!
Remember that feeling, we go full gas. Eh?
Despite all their efforts,
the guys in the peloton
can't catch up to the front group.
Red kite, one kilometre to go.
Matej Mohorič, Ben O'Connor,
and Kasper Asgreen,
victory will go to one of these three men.
[Mohorič] Coming to that finale,
I was physically on my limit.
I knew that Kasper knew that he was
the strongest and fastest sprinter.
You're faster, Mr. Asgreen.
Let's do this again!
[commentator] This close to the finish,
it's going to be a battle of nerves.
Who will attack first?
[Asgreen] We all worked, uh, really hard.
And And we arrived on the last kilometre.
I expect Ben O'Connor
will go pretty early.
Uh, so I'm just waiting for him to go.
It's not good.
I just don't think he's gonna do it.
[tense music playing]
[O'Connor] When you're actually in that
moment and have a chance to win a stage,
you have to take the bull by the horns,
not being scared or worried.
Just fight it out.
It's make or break now for Ben O'Connor.
The Australian attacks.
[Asgreen] I move out into the slipstream
with as much speed as I possibly can.
Head down for the line.
[commentator]
O'Connor looks around. It's over.
Here goes Kasper Asgreen.
Will he win two days in a row?
[Mohorič] When Kasper
made his move, I just
squeezed out every strength
that I had left.
Go, go, go!
Go, go, go, Kaspy, go! Go, Kaspy, go!
[commentator] Mohorič on his wheel.
Asgreen and Mohorič fighting
for victory right up to the finish line!
Photo finish!
[Piquet on radio] Photo finish
between Asgreen and Mohorič.
Photo finish between Asgreen and Mohorič.
[Asgreen] I had no idea.
I, uh I look at Matej and said,
"You know?" He also didn't know.
[indistinct chatter on radio]
Matej!
This is Matej!
It's photo finish, Kaspy.
Photo finish. Good job, man.
Hell of a ride again.
[commentator]
Who crossed the finish line first?
It's Asgreen against Mohorič.
Has Kasper Asgreen won again?
Or did Mohorič manage
to throw his bike across the line?
From this angle,
it looks like it's Asgreen.
But no! It's Mohorič! Matej Mohorič wins!
[man] You win. You win!
Yeah!
[crowd cheering]
[triumphant music playing]
[on radio] And the stage
goes to Matej Mohorič.
[all] Yeah!
Whoo!
[chatting excitedly]
Fuck!
Fuck.
Congrats, Mr. Kasper Asgreen.
Hell of a ride, man.
[commentator] By throwing
his bike at the line,
Matej Mohorič wins his third-ever
stage of the Tour de France,
and you can understand the emotion.
It's the closest finish
we've had on this Tour.
Never mind, Kaspy.
Fuck!
Ugh. Fuck. It's annoying to be so close.
[reporter] Can you tell us, can you
explain what this victory means for you?
It means a lot because it's just hard
and cruel to be a professional cyclist.
You suffer a lot in preparations.
You sacrifice your life, your family.
And you know what everyone's
what everyone else is going through.
And then at the end, you almost feel like
you betrayed them because you beat them.
I wish that everybody could win
a Tour de France stage,
but it's not possible. That's cruel, no?
I knew I have to make everything perfect
and not just for myself,
also for for Gino and for the team.
I'm super happy and proud right now.
[reporter] Thank you.
[Asgreen] There was nothing I could do.
I had done everything I could.
If I'd been able to pull that one-off,
win two days in a row, that would've been
That would really have been
for the for the history books.
- Well, yeah.
- Fuck!
[sighs]
Hey, in the Tour
you can't go and win two days in a row.
Why not?
[both laughing]
Um, I just took a chance.
It was really just instinctive.
Left that stage with more confidence,
but still a little bit like,
dang it, I wish [chuckles]
I wish I'd, uh I wish I'd won that day.
There wasn't a lot else I could do.
[melancholy music playing]
- Suitcase?
- Yes.
Good thing I did keep everything separated
so my suitcase is not
like a bomb that exploded.
Only the green jerseys is a bit
Yeah. I didn't have enough space for this.
I didn't expect it to have that many, so
I'm, uh For this,
I have to sort some extra space.
Sadly there was
no jersey to collect this stage.
But I think I can call myself
the best sprinter in the world.
Stage 21 in in Paris is always special
to finish on the Champs-Élysées.
It's the most iconic sprint
of the Tour de France.
We will fight for the win there.
It will be tough.
But I'm looking forward,
uh, to take this challenge.
[congratulatory shouts]
[clapping]
Cycling is the man, the effort,
and the connection
to the people around you.
[Pinot] There's always a lot expected
from the French riders in the Tour,
so there's an awful lot of stress.
It was really tough for me from the start.
[panting]
To end with green in Paris
is the goal for all sprinters.
[commentator] Will Jasper Philipsen
be able to take his 5th stage win?
Of course Jasper will win.
He takes it all.
[crowd cheering]
[commentator] Is it Meeus or Philipsen?
[tense rhythmic music playing]
Sorry, Fabio.
[commentator]
This finish is going to be explosive.
- [horns honking]
- [crowd cheering]
Oh, crash! A crash in the peloton.
[metal scraping]
[echoing] Fabio Jakobsen is down.
[groaning in pain]
[Lefevere] We were convinced
we had to build a team around Fabio.
He's one of
the best sprinters in the world.
[commentator] It's absolute carnage!
[ambulance siren blaring]
[Jakobsen grunts]
I felt immediately
that the wounds were big.
Because you can feel that it's burning.
[man] Okay?
[Jakobsen] It's like stinging.
Like with a knife, you cut yourself.
I already knew that
it was going to become a hard few days.
[commentator] Fabio Jakobsen,
yesterday's crash has left a lot of scars.
Fabio, it's better, no?
A bit better, but not good yet.
[Jakobsen] It's sometimes hard
to stay positive, because of the pain.
Your mind and your body say,
"Whoa, this is not what
we want to be doing any more."
[crowd yelling, cheering]
[Asgreen] He's our leader
for the bunch sprints,
and the main guy to try to get us
the stage wins that we're aiming for.
[commentator] A fourth win
for Jasper Philipsen.
[Jakobsen] Today, the team
bring me in perfect position.
But now, I I don't have the legs.
So it's Yeah, it makes me sad.
[Alaphilippe] A high speed crash
doesn't just affect you physically.
When you go through that turmoil,
it's psychological.
[reporter] This team is used to winning
Tour de France stages every year.
Do you feel the pressure
is starting to build up a bit?
We were afraid this could be the year
that we didn't win a stage in the Tour.
[dramatic percussive theme playing]
[crowd cheering]
[rhythmic synth music playing]
[indistinct announcement on PA]
[commentator] Friends,
we're in for treat today
on the roads of the wine region.
[woman] Thank you!
- No worries.
- Good luck.
[music becomes worrying]
[Jakobsen] Woke up this morning,
I was the first at breakfast.
Then Tom Steels said to me,
"If you want to quit today, I understand."
Then we looked at each other and I said,
"Tom, I don't think
it's wise for me to start today."
[man] We feel deeply sorry for you.
I give my best and the body don't want to
to push hard.
My recovery is not well, and
The legs and the body only gets
worse and worse and worse, so
Yeah.
It's just shit.
[melancholy music playing]
[commentator] The news of the day is that
Fabio Jakobsen has
abandoned the Tour de France
after his injuries on stage four.
Fabio, thank you for everything.
[Steels] Okay, guys.
Unfortunately, Fabio goes home today.
Cycling is a sport that
you have to do with a healthy body.
If you feel it doesn't go, it doesn't go.
Then you take care of yourself,
and you come back stronger than before.
[Lefevere] This team was
really made in function of Fabio.
We are fighters, we are the Wolfpack.
Going home without victory
never happened to us.
But if your sprinter is in the ground,
and you come with one sprinter,
all your tactics are in the ground.
So then you have to go to plan B.
- [claps]
- Action.
Julian Alaphilippe,
I cycle professionally
with team Soudal Quick-Step.
The thing that still drives me is winning.
[commentator] Final sprint.
Alaphilippe has 150 metres to go.
He will claim his place
today in Pau! Magnif icent!
Julian Alaphilippe is
the boss of the Tour de France.
- [crowd cheering]
- [camera shutters clicking]
He won stages, he's had the yellow
in the Tour de France, and he's French.
He's, uh, the chouchou
of the French people.
[crowd chanting]
He broke a record yesterday.
And it's the first time for 35 years
since we've had a French yellow jersey
win a time trial at Pau.
When you attain your objectives,
you have to set yourself new ones,
and there's still so much to achieve.
I've made a reality
one of my biggest dreams in cycling,
- The rainbow jersey.
- Twice now.
If you weren't convinced the first time,
I did it again. Boom, boom.
The hardest part
isn't achieving your dreams,
it's keeping your dreams at that level.
To keep the dreams alive.
Right, that's enough for now.
That was terrific.
[beeping]
Last year was the most
challenging season of my career,
with a string of crashes.
Oh!
It was a period of reflection.
Not just because I decided
to not compete in the Tour,
but also there was the crash at Liège.
[commentator]
A massive crash in the peloton.
Multiple riders on the ground.
Julian Alaphilippe is in the ditch.
[Alaphilippe] And as soon as
I went back to training, physically
I felt different. Um
And mentally too.
I found that really hard.
I saw flashes of the crash.
[echoing] Oh!
Heard the noise.
It all really affected me.
And I don't want
to go through it all again.
So it's taken me some time to move on.
[indistinct studio chatter]
Um, we got him back after
a really bad year. [laughs]
Finally.
Change that jersey, young man.
[reporter 1] What about you?
You satisfied?
- I'm never satisfied.
- Really? Why not?
Because that's my that's my nature.
[reporter 2] Oh right.
It's a showdown between
French cyclist, Julian Alaphilippe,
and the director of Quick-Step,
Patrick Lefevere.
He crashed into the barrier.
[journalist] Patrick Lefevere,
Julian Alaphilippe. Nothing's working.
What's going on?
He feels that his rider is well paid
but doesn't always get results.
[interviewer] So, how much
do you get paid?
A little too much for Patrick.
[interviewer laughs] Well
Will you keep that?
[crew laughing]
A 2.3 million euros salary
for Julian Alaphilippe per season.
You, me, everyone
has to justify their salary.
It's really simple.
He's no different.
He's the leader, so we expect results.
[Alaphilippe] There are
high expectations of me,
and people want
a return on their investment.
Patrick, he speaks to the media and
that's all right, but I just
gotta cycle better and win races.
[reporter] Does Julian need to justify
the chunk of money that he's
I'm a little bit tired
of that kind of shit questions.
I said it once.
I said it to the people
who have to know it.
Him, his agent, his wife.
And if the press asks me, I'm not a liar.
[Steels] With every paycheck
comes a certain expectation.
Cycling is not a fairy tale.
To get criticism from the boss,
I think it's never easy, it's never nice,
but it has to put you sharp.
[Steels] I think for Julian,
be sharp, be there in the front.
And, just, uh just fight to get it.
We try to win one for Fabio today, eh?
Okay?
[fans clamouring] Julian!
[fan] Come on, Julian, we're behind you.
Go on, you're a champion!
Show them you can still do it.
[crowd cheering]
[intense music playing]
Come on, Mathieu. Vamos!
[announcer in French]
Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One!
They're off!
[commentator in English] 168 riders
at the start line and one non-starter,
Fabio Jakobsen,
the Soudal Quick-Step sprinter.
Stage 12 kicks off,
a stage that isn't for the faint-hearted.
[crowd cheering]
[Alaphilippe] We had to regroup.
And quickly.
As soon as we lost Fabio,
we had to focus on other goals
apart from on the sprints.
We really needed to get a victory.
[commentator]
This is the front of the race.
Another 100 kilometres to go.
Come on, eh, boys.
[commentator]
Attack of Julian Alaphillipe.
Can he catch up with the front group?
For sure when the climb comes,
behind you, they will all explode.
[Lefevere] He's not the best climber.
He's not the best sprinter.
But if he has his D-Day,
then in a tactical way, he's very smart.
[commentator] Julian Alaphilippe
on his own, giving his all
to get back to the front of the race.
This could be a great opportunity
for him to go for a stage win.
He is really pushing himself.
You have to ride till the finish line.
Come on!
He's caught up to the front group.
Can he now win the stage?
- [crowd cheering]
- [cowbell ringing]
[commentator]
Oh, Julian Alaphilippe is in difficulty.
Come on. Use all the character
you have to get over it. Come on!
It's not happening today.
He doesn't have the legs.
He's going to need to take a breather.
[Alaphlippe] I grabbed
the opportunities that came my way
by trying to break away a lot,
but I felt that I wasn't
where I wanted to be, physically.
Come on, Julian.
Stay on the wheel. Come on!
And then, on top of that,
if you're in a situation
where you've got your team riding for you,
to support you,
to help you achieve your goal.
and it doesn't work out in the end,
you feel remorse
and self-pity,
and disappointment.
[melancholy music playing]
[commentator] J ulian Alaphilippe
out of the saddle.
You can see the tension in his legs.
He has to let the front group go now.
Fuck!
Shame.
Shit.
[commentator]
Julian seems mentally strong.
The problem is that he's just
not physically up to par this year.
[music intensifies]
[Lefevere] He lost a little bit of
qualities he had a few years ago.
He knows he's a well-paid boy.
So he also feels this responsibility.
And not really performing
as he wants and we want.
Fuck's sake.
[fan] Well done, Julian!
Well done, Julian! Well done!
I'm gutted. I'm wiped out.
[man] You okay, Julian?
[fan 2] Well done, Julian.
I lost my glasses. That sucks.
It was a really tough fight
to get to the front.
I didn't have enough energy
to keep on the wheel of the other guys.
It was just all too difficult.
You all right?
[Alaphilippe] I'm busting
a gut for nothing.
Well, that's life.
[interviewer] So you're pleased
with Julian? With everything he's done?
Well, he did his best, but it
Well, I just hope that
it wasn't all a waste of effort.
Or it'll be the first time since '94 '92
that I don't get a stage win.
Do you know how many years that is?
[crowd cheering]
[tense rhythmic music playing]
Now, it's time for more flat racing.
Welcome to stage 18.
We've lost another sprinter today.
Nathan, mate, you rode strong today.
Following on from Fabio Jakobsen,
now Wout Van Aert
is out of the Tour de France
to join his wife,
who is about to give birth.
[in Flemish] I always
thought that I would go home
whenever my wife indicated
that she needed me
and that time has come.
[helicopter blades whirring]
[car horn honking]
With just four stages left,
time is pressing for Soudal Quick-Step.
The question right now is knowing
how to beat the fastest rider in the Tour,
Jasper Philipsen.
[crowd clamouring]
[Roodhooft] A day of opportunities again,
it's our duty today
to bring it to a sprint.
We are a team of of winners.
We want our piece of the cake.
We need guys like Jasper Philipsen
because he is fast at the finish line.
On a normal day, he always wins.
Stage 18 is child's play
for Jasper Philipsen,
who is convinced he's going to win it.
[Philipsen] You always want more.
Even if you've won five,
you want to win six.
You've won six? You want seven.
Oh! That feels so good.
[rider] I think if he wants
he can win today, yeah?
- You're on top.
- You get me excited.
[laughs]
Hey, it's your day!
[reporter] Julian, just one question,
what's the answer
to beating Philipsen in a sprint?
I don't know. Ride a motorbike maybe?
[people laughing]
[commentator] Today, the teams
without sprinters have a chance.
[crowd cheering]
[coach] It's important to be
in the breakaway today, guys. Got that?
The more of us get in the breakaway,
the better for us at the finish.
[Jurdie] So, the goal really
is to get people up front.
Guys, we don't choose
who gets to go in the breakaway.
It's the head and legs that decide.
A breakaway, quite simply,
is a group of riders
who break away from the main body.
And they try
to stay away to the finish line.
A breakaway more often
than not is doomed on sprint stages.
But if you're not in it,
you're never going to win it.
We have still the possibility
to gain some place,
especially if the race goes to the break.
More often than not,
there are sprint stages
in the third week that end up
being breakaway stages.
We control the whole day.
Yes, today, when we
- And we also
- No, I want to pull first.
[Mohorič] It would be incredibly hard
to just get into the breakaway,
and then even harder to to actually go
all the way to the finish line.
[Steels] All right, gentlemen.
Stage 18. Uh
So we're all gonna go for the breakaway.
We try to escape today.
It's an opportunity. We go for it.
If somebody goes, you help him.
You need each other
to win a stage in the Tour.
We've suffered already.
I think now it's our chance just to go,
be in, and to try to, uh to win a stage.
[Asgreen] We were underperforming.
We have one goal, and that's stage wins.
Obviously, I wanted to get that big win.
My name is Kasper Asgreen.
I ride for Soudal Quick-Step.
I, uh should probably say
I'm a cyclist for Soudal Quick-Step.
[chuckles]
[clicking]
[in Danish] You ready?
[Lefevere in English]
Kasper Asgreen, he's a strange guy.
[chuckles]
He's a Danish. They are all very special.
He has his own mental way
to prepare a race.
[Asgreen] I'll do
three-day blocks of training.
Two days with two types
of different efforts,
and then a bit of a longer ride,
just to build up the endurance.
One gym session per training block,
and then a rest day,
and then you start over.
I think I'm definitely one of the guys
that puts in the most hours.
Like, the most strict with the
with the schedule.
He has no limit on training.
If you say to Kasper
it's -5 in Denmark in the winter,
and he has to do five hours, he does it.
He doesn't think about it,
he just does it.
He always wants to improve.
Everything is much smoother
tomorrow if you just do it immediately.
[interviewer] How do you think
your teammates would describe you?
Uh
Yeah, I think probably
"solitary" is a good word.
I sometimes have
my own way of of doing things.
On training camps, I'll often sit,
like, uh, 100 metres behind the group,
just to have wind in my face all the time,
and always keep the intensity up.
I hope they don't think I'm too weird,
but it's, uh
You know, it's I know I am.
I try not to be, uh not to be too weird.
[laughs]
Kasper Asgreen is
an exceptionally talented rider.
He's been national
time trial champion several times.
He's won one of the biggest
one-day races in the sport.
The Tour de France, however,
is a different beast.
He's brought here as a domestique.
He's never won a stage
of the Tour de France.
Winning a stage is simply not his job.
[announcer in French]
Five, four, three, two, one!
They're off!
[crowd cheering]
[commentator] Stage 18
starts for real now.
And Denmark's former national champion,
Kasper Asgreen of Soudal Quick-Step,
doesn't waste any time.
He's already attacking.
[over radio] An immediate surge
from Soudal Quick-Step.
Fuck me!
Stupid.
Who's charged ahead?
Kasper.
[commentator] Kasper Asgreen
must have a plan.
We were like, "How the hell?"
You know it's very difficult that
the breakaway goes to the finish line.
You'll have like 10% chance it will work.
Okay, Kasper, if you still hear us,
just take it easy.
Just take it easy.
[Asgreen] I don't know if it was
the team plan, but it was my plan.
I had no doubts. I was just all-in.
It's all about trying to get that win
for us so we don't go home empty-handed.
[commentator] Asgreen sets the tempo.
The gap is now one minute 34 seconds.
[Chennaoui] Three riders against the whole
weight and power of the peloton behind.
It's pretty much a kamikaze mission.
There was 180 kilometres maybe
in the headwind with
three against a full peloton.
So, uh, yeah, I say good luck.
[Mohorič] When Kasper made his breakaway,
everyone was just afraid to follow.
Afraid to hurt your body even more.
Everyone was on their hands and knees,
and so exhausted from
the whole race, in general.
[commentator] He's racing for now,
but it's entirely possible
that he'll be told to stop
because there's not much point.
Little hope today for the breakaway.
[Steels] Thirty seconds, three-zero.
Kaspy, you know, 30 seconds is not much.
You just take it easy in the front.
Or they catch you or they don't.
[commentator] Today, the sprinters
are looking for a fight,
and they're watching
this breakaway very closely.
[crew member] Come on. Push it. Push it.
[commentator] For now, the peloton has
the situation under control,
but it's going to take
a lot of effort to stay at the front.
[tense music playing]
[Chennaoui] Jasper Philipsen's plan
will be to allow a safe breakaway.
But keeping them on a fairly short leash
so that you know
you can bring them back again
in time for the sprint finish.
[cheering]
[commentator]
Jasper Philipsen blocks the road.
- What's he doing? It's Philipsen.
- Come on! Philipsen, such a stupid shit.
[commentator] Philipsen using
a bit of intimidation.
He has no intention of letting
any other riders join the breakaway.
[music intensifies]
[Asgreen] To keep the peloton away
was incredibly hard.
I was suffering,
I had pain everywhere from sitting
in that aggressive position the whole day.
And just pushing, pushing.
It really takes a toll on the body.
[fans cheering]
They're gonna take it home.
You'll see I'm not wrong.
Yeah.
[Steels] Yeah. At that moment,
we started to believe.
[Asgreen] I was happy to be in front,
but I knew it was not over yet.
So it was really a fight,
and get as much power as possible
into the pedals and into the road.
[Steels] Now we have
to get the team organised.
Protect the breakaway
and we give them
the full support to win the stage.
[commentator] You have to wonder what
Soudal Quick-Step are playing at here.
They really need to slow down more.
Julian Alaphilippe joins
the front of the peloton,
causing trouble for the group behind.
I'll do whatever I can,
I mean anything,
just to get Kasper to the front.
There's no question.
[commentator] He's not making
any friends in the peloton today,
but he's not here to do that.
If I can, I'll get myself
to the front group
to break up their momentum
and slow them down,
just for half a second, or even a second.
[commentator] Alaphilippe working for
his team by coming to disrupt this chase.
What a great job
by the former world champion.
It could be that one second that
makes guys at the back throw in the towel,
or guys at the front.
It really is a very cool trick.
You stick together in the front.
Good boys. Good boys.
[commentator] You can see
the Alpecin-Deceuninck riders
starting to get a little nervous.
[intense music playing]
62 km an hour in the breakaway,
61 km in the peloton.
We were riding full gas in the peloton,
and we were not coming closer.
They were, yeah,
stronger than we expected.
Come on, Kaspy, with the guys.
Help each other out. Come on!
[commentator] 18 seconds
with six kilometres to go.
The gap is closing.
Bravo, Kaspy. Come on. Bravo.
Just keep fighting.
[commentator] A 13-second lead
for the four at the front.
The peloton is coming back strong.
[crowd cheering]
You get a bit discouraged
when you hear in the radio
that the time gap is going down.
[commentator] Will they get caught?
But then, we kept pushing,
and we kept working together.
[commentator]
Fourteen hundred metres to go.
The breakaway still has
a chance of going all the way.
Ten seconds. You're gonna make it.
Come on. Pull, you guys.
Until the finish line. Come on.
[commentator] The finish line is in sight!
Now we're sprinting
for a Tour de France stage.
[commentator] Can they keep going
all the way to the finish?
Don't stop now, Kaspy. Go! Go, Kaspy!
[commentator] Just 250 metres to go.
Kasper Asgreen accelerates.
Can the breakaway keep it up?
Go, Kaspy. Go, go, go.
[commentator] Behind, Pedersen, Philipsen.
Asgreen out in front and behind him
It's incredible! The breakaway
stayed away. And Asgreen wins the stage!
And then a split second later,
like, everybody just came past. Woof!
The bunch was so close.
[yelling joyfully]
[screaming] Yeah!
[triumphant music playing]
[in Italian] Yes!
[commentator in English]
No one believed it'd happen,
but the breakaway
stayed ahead of the peloton.
What a race for Kasper Asgreen.
What a sprint!
That's what you call a Wolfpack!
[Steels] To win out the breakaway,
in those circumstances
with that peloton chasing you,
that's very rare.
That was exceptional,
and that made it very, very special.
[crowd cheering]
[Asgreen] For everybody,
it was a it was a big relief.
We can, uh
we can be proud of this year now.
[camera shutters clicking]
I saw a photo where
I was standing like this. [chuckling]
It was like, yeah, it's just surreal
at that point, you know?
[reporter] Honestly, did you think
you were gonna
win a stage of the Tour de France?
I mean, with the bunch
putting the pressure on?
Even a small group can manage
to cheat the sprinter teams.
So, uh, I didn't, uh, rule it out.
Well then?
Holy card, the holy card! Ah!
Come on, guys! This is what we need, man!
[all agreeing indistinctly]
[growls playfully]
[Steels] Julian has given
his teammates the full support.
Does that make Julian, his Tour, perfect?
No.
Oh, so, so, so happy.
So nice, mate!
[Steels] But does that made him
loved within his team?
Yeah, for sure.
That's the things you do as a leader.
[indistinct chatter]
[Philipsen] Did they ride
a motorbike or something? It can't be!
It's impossible.
Impossible.
Impossible.
That can't have happened.
They rode behind the motorcycle.
That can not go on
when we're going all out like that.
It's impossible.
Impossible.
I can understand the frustration.
But yeah.
If another team wins, another team wins.
Hey.
Ridiculous.
[chuckles] There's really no way.
We were in front of the peloton.
We were in control.
It's also a little bit in the
in the sprinter's mind.
It's very difficult to lose,
but you lose more than you win.
[glass clinking loudly]
[Asgreen] Thank you to everybody.
It hasn't been the easiest for us, but
I'm happy to to give back a victory.
It would be a shame
to to break the streak of, uh,
always, uh, taking at least
one victory in the Tour.
Thank you, guys.
[all cheer]
[Lefevere] It's an explosion of joy.
Um, there's, like,
100 kilo falling from your shoulders.
Struggling, uh, to win one stage,
when you're used to winning four or five,
for us that was, like that was a drama.
Not winning a Tour de France stage.
But the Tour is over
on the Champs-Élysées. Not before.
You can't give up before
you've crossed the line in Paris.
[tense music playing]
- Good morning.
- [woman] Good morning.
[indistinct crowd chatter]
Gentlemen, I think everybody found
yesterday a very interesting race.
All the congrats we had. And you
even got a banana with your name on.
But they spelled my name wrong.
Also, congrats for the teammates behind.
The motivation, the blocking of the guys.
No, really well done.
Of course, today is another race,
and we are not here to play cards.
- This you can do the rest of your life.
- [man chuckles]
It's again full-on, maybe the longest
finish of the whole year. Okay.
[Asgreen] After yesterday's win,
I think everybody
has a bit of renewed motivation.
Stage 19. It's a good stage for us.
To be honest,
I need to see how the legs are
and how the body feels
after after yesterday.
Having been in the breakaway
all day yesterday is not ideal.
But you know,
we'll give it another chance today.
[Steels] The first part of the climb
is still okay. Four percent.
The second part is steeper.
[Alaphilippe] We know
that everyone's burned out
from what we pulled off yesterday.
But doing it again would be great.
[Chainel] Quick-Step shattered the idea
of an impossible breakaway.
There's just three days to go
and this strategy they've employed
has become a serious threat
for teams with sprinters.
And so this has fuelled
all those teams that don't have sprinters.
and that want to secure a stage victory.
THE RED POLKA DOT JERSEY
Of course, we tell ourselves
that we'll all go for the breakaway.
Know that today, like yesterday,
could see the fight
run over several kilometres.
[fan] Matej!
[commentator] He'll have to
watch out for Matej Mohorič.
He's got stamina and talent.
Because of what happened
in the breakaway in Stage 18,
we presumed, uh,
the breakaway has a chance.
First objective to go in the break.
Once we are in the break
we can start thinking,
but we need to go full on the climb
to bridge. We can do this, no?
[Mohorič] Stage 19 was the last chance
to get a stage win
for 99% of the riders left in the race,
so I was really determined to make
sharp decisions and give it my best shot.
[soft melodic music playing]
Cycling is becoming
more and more of a sport
where not only physical strength
makes a difference,
but also tactical choices.
The winning margins
sometimes are ridiculously small.
Races are won or lost by by millimetres.
[in Slovenian]
This road bike is really tuned up
so that it's as light, and fast,
and aerodynamic as possible.
It has these flaps for aerodynamics,
but you only need them
if you're riding at 60kph like us.
[in English] I always liked science,
particularly numbers.
I'm a methodical and precise person.
I think about the powers I need to push
on a certain section of the course.
I think about the gap. I think about
the wind. I think about the gradient.
And I think it really, um,
makes me the type of rider I am.
Guys, we go today from
Moirans-en-Montagne à Poligny.
Two KOMs today
and one sprint at 97.7, Jasper.
After yesterday,
never underestimate anything.
But today we we have to try
to make something out of it. Yes?
[announcer] The one who, of course,
holds onto the yellow jersey
[Philipsen] For sure, four stage wins was
already more than my expectations.
But I just want to win one more time
in the in the green jersey.
[Bramati] And the winner of yesterday,
Kasper Asgreen, and he's, uh
Danish! Yeah!
Yes! Brama, I hear you loud and clear.
[commentator] Stage 19 is underway.
A 172.8 kilometre course today.
For the majority of riders,
this is the last chance for a stage win.
After this, it'll be too late.
[tense music playing]
[Mohorič] The whole stage
was just incredibly fast.
It was hard, but I knew since
the start that I have great legs.
[mooing]
[commentator] Are there any riders capable
of repeating yesterday's breakaway?
[music becomes dramatic]
[Asgreen] Very, very hectic start.
There was a lot of riders
that were motivated.
Yeah, I think 'messy"
is a is a good word for it. [laughs]
[commentator] The race has been on
for a while now, and still no breakaway.
[Mohorič] I wasted quite a bit of energy
following and attacking
in the opening two hours,
but I wanted to make sure
that I have no regrets
at the bus after the finish line.
[commentator] Here comes
Kasper Asgreen, attacking again.
There was a split second of hesitation.
But I knew in that moment
that this was the wheel to follow.
[commentator] Matej Mohorič, Ben O'Connor,
Kasper Asgreen try to join Campenaerts,
trying to breathe life
into this breakaway to win this stage.
Oh! Campenaerts cracks.
Just three leaders now,
Mohorič, O'Connor, and Asgreen.
The trio have started out well.
This was my opportunity.
I was like, "Now's the chance."
Now I'm gonna see
if I can pull it off again.
It's a very high average speed.
You can see how hard O'Connor
has to work to stay in their wheels.
[O'Connor] You definitely have to
be in the break today,
but it's hot, it's fast, it's up and down,
and you take a chance and you try to win.
Good, Kaspy. Come on,
let that engine go. Eh?
[Asgreen] I was really suffering.
The body had definitely taken a big toll
after, uh, yesterday's stage.
[commentator] 30-second lead.
That's massive
given the speed of the peloton.
[Mohorič] The whole stage
I was thinking about the physics.
The speeds were incredibly high,
so it was really important
to spend energy wisely.
[crowd cheering]
[commentator] This is how things stand.
Three leaders at the front,
chased by the group we see here.
[Asgreen] The group behind has
both Van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen.
Really fast riders that we definitely
don't want to have join us.
[in Dutch] Twenty seconds. Twenty seconds.
[commentator in English]
Three riders moving
at close to 60 kilometres per hour.
You know the feeling from yesterday.
That gives you wings!
Remember that feeling, we go full gas. Eh?
Despite all their efforts,
the guys in the peloton
can't catch up to the front group.
Red kite, one kilometre to go.
Matej Mohorič, Ben O'Connor,
and Kasper Asgreen,
victory will go to one of these three men.
[Mohorič] Coming to that finale,
I was physically on my limit.
I knew that Kasper knew that he was
the strongest and fastest sprinter.
You're faster, Mr. Asgreen.
Let's do this again!
[commentator] This close to the finish,
it's going to be a battle of nerves.
Who will attack first?
[Asgreen] We all worked, uh, really hard.
And And we arrived on the last kilometre.
I expect Ben O'Connor
will go pretty early.
Uh, so I'm just waiting for him to go.
It's not good.
I just don't think he's gonna do it.
[tense music playing]
[O'Connor] When you're actually in that
moment and have a chance to win a stage,
you have to take the bull by the horns,
not being scared or worried.
Just fight it out.
It's make or break now for Ben O'Connor.
The Australian attacks.
[Asgreen] I move out into the slipstream
with as much speed as I possibly can.
Head down for the line.
[commentator]
O'Connor looks around. It's over.
Here goes Kasper Asgreen.
Will he win two days in a row?
[Mohorič] When Kasper
made his move, I just
squeezed out every strength
that I had left.
Go, go, go!
Go, go, go, Kaspy, go! Go, Kaspy, go!
[commentator] Mohorič on his wheel.
Asgreen and Mohorič fighting
for victory right up to the finish line!
Photo finish!
[Piquet on radio] Photo finish
between Asgreen and Mohorič.
Photo finish between Asgreen and Mohorič.
[Asgreen] I had no idea.
I, uh I look at Matej and said,
"You know?" He also didn't know.
[indistinct chatter on radio]
Matej!
This is Matej!
It's photo finish, Kaspy.
Photo finish. Good job, man.
Hell of a ride again.
[commentator]
Who crossed the finish line first?
It's Asgreen against Mohorič.
Has Kasper Asgreen won again?
Or did Mohorič manage
to throw his bike across the line?
From this angle,
it looks like it's Asgreen.
But no! It's Mohorič! Matej Mohorič wins!
[man] You win. You win!
Yeah!
[crowd cheering]
[triumphant music playing]
[on radio] And the stage
goes to Matej Mohorič.
[all] Yeah!
Whoo!
[chatting excitedly]
Fuck!
Fuck.
Congrats, Mr. Kasper Asgreen.
Hell of a ride, man.
[commentator] By throwing
his bike at the line,
Matej Mohorič wins his third-ever
stage of the Tour de France,
and you can understand the emotion.
It's the closest finish
we've had on this Tour.
Never mind, Kaspy.
Fuck!
Ugh. Fuck. It's annoying to be so close.
[reporter] Can you tell us, can you
explain what this victory means for you?
It means a lot because it's just hard
and cruel to be a professional cyclist.
You suffer a lot in preparations.
You sacrifice your life, your family.
And you know what everyone's
what everyone else is going through.
And then at the end, you almost feel like
you betrayed them because you beat them.
I wish that everybody could win
a Tour de France stage,
but it's not possible. That's cruel, no?
I knew I have to make everything perfect
and not just for myself,
also for for Gino and for the team.
I'm super happy and proud right now.
[reporter] Thank you.
[Asgreen] There was nothing I could do.
I had done everything I could.
If I'd been able to pull that one-off,
win two days in a row, that would've been
That would really have been
for the for the history books.
- Well, yeah.
- Fuck!
[sighs]
Hey, in the Tour
you can't go and win two days in a row.
Why not?
[both laughing]
Um, I just took a chance.
It was really just instinctive.
Left that stage with more confidence,
but still a little bit like,
dang it, I wish [chuckles]
I wish I'd, uh I wish I'd won that day.
There wasn't a lot else I could do.
[melancholy music playing]
- Suitcase?
- Yes.
Good thing I did keep everything separated
so my suitcase is not
like a bomb that exploded.
Only the green jerseys is a bit
Yeah. I didn't have enough space for this.
I didn't expect it to have that many, so
I'm, uh For this,
I have to sort some extra space.
Sadly there was
no jersey to collect this stage.
But I think I can call myself
the best sprinter in the world.
Stage 21 in in Paris is always special
to finish on the Champs-Élysées.
It's the most iconic sprint
of the Tour de France.
We will fight for the win there.
It will be tough.
But I'm looking forward,
uh, to take this challenge.
[congratulatory shouts]
[clapping]
Cycling is the man, the effort,
and the connection
to the people around you.
[Pinot] There's always a lot expected
from the French riders in the Tour,
so there's an awful lot of stress.
It was really tough for me from the start.
[panting]
To end with green in Paris
is the goal for all sprinters.
[commentator] Will Jasper Philipsen
be able to take his 5th stage win?
Of course Jasper will win.
He takes it all.
[crowd cheering]
[commentator] Is it Meeus or Philipsen?
[tense rhythmic music playing]