What a day at the Tour de France! 🚴♂️💨
Belgian cyclist Victor Campenaerts from Team Lotto–Dstny pulled off an epic victory in Stage 18, a thrilling 179.5 km ride from Gap to Barcelonnette. In an electrifying three-man sprint finish, Campenaerts timed his attack perfectly to clinch his first-ever Tour de France stage win! 🎉
Riding alongside Poland's Michal Kwiatkowski and France's Matteo Vercher, Campenaerts stayed cool and calculated. With just 200 meters to go, he unleashed a powerful sprint that left his rivals in the dust! 🌪️
After crossing the finish line, the 32-year-old was overcome with emotion. He immediately video-called his girlfriend and their newborn child, sharing this unforgettable moment. ❤️👶
\"I've been dreaming about this for a very, very long time,\" Campenaerts said, tears of joy streaming down his face. \"After the Classics, I had a tough time. I had a verbal agreement with the team to extend my contract, but things got complicated.\"
\"My girlfriend was my rock,\" he added. \"She supported me every day, even while being heavily pregnant. I was struggling, but now I see only blue skies ahead.\" ☀️
The trio broke away about 35 km from the finish, pushing ahead as a chasing pack tried to catch them. But Campenaerts, Kwiatkowski, and Vercher held them off with sheer determination and teamwork. 🙌
Vercher, who had an early crash in the neutral zone, fought back to finish second, while Kwiatkowski took third place. Talk about resilience! 💪
\"She's the hero in this story,\" Campenaerts said about his girlfriend. \"I'm so grateful she made this possible. We will celebrate tonight!\" 🥂
The chasing group, including riders like Jai Hindley and Wout Van Aert, crossed the line 22 seconds later. Meanwhile, the yellow jersey group played it safe, conserving energy for the upcoming mountain stages. ⛰️
Slovenian star Tadej Pogacar retains the yellow jersey, leading Jonas Vingegaard by over three minutes. As the Tour heads into the Alps for Stage 19, things are heating up! 🔥
Stay tuned for more action as the riders tackle the challenging 145 km route from Embrun to Isola 2000. Who knows what surprises await? 🚵♂️
Reference(s):
Campenaerts prevails in trio sprint to win Tour de France stage 18
cgtn.com
