Michał Kwiatkowski showcased his tenacity and skill in the 18th stage of the Tour de France, finishing third in a nail-biting finale. The 179.5 km stage, stretching from Gap to Barcelonnette, saw the Polish rider in a dramatic three-man breakaway. Despite his valiant effort, Kwiatkowski was narrowly edged out in the sprint finish by Belgium’s Victor Campenaerts and France’s Matteo Vercher, who took first and second place, respectively.
Tadej Pogacar, the Slovenian sensation, successfully retained his yellow jersey. The peloton, which included Pogacar and other leading general classification contenders, finished with a significant time deficit, arriving several minutes behind the breakaway trio. This allowed Pogacar to maintain his lead in the overall standings, continuing his strong performance in this year’s Tour.
Riding for Ineos Grenadiers, Kwiatkowski’s third-place finish marks the seventh time he has podiumed in a Tour de France stage. With two stage victories already under his belt, the Polish rider has consistently proven himself to be a formidable competitor in one of the world’s most prestigious cycling races.