02x07 - Kamikaze Mission

[bunniefuu]

[intense music playing]

Sorry, Fabio.

[commentator]

This finish is going to be expl*sive.

- [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 sh*t.

[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 sh*t 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.

f*ck!

Shame.

sh*t.

[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.

f*ck'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.

f*ck 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 sh*t.

[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 expl*si*n 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]

f*ck!

f*ck.

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.

f*ck!

Ugh. f*ck. 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.

- f*ck!

[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 b*mb 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]