Eighteen down, three to go.

Friday's 19th stage of the 2023 Tour de France sees the peloton sweep across the Jura Mountains - without tackling any major climbs over the 172.8km route from Moirans-en-Montagne to Poligny.

With the final straight measuring more than eight kilometres in length, the fast men will be given a hefty lead out.

But, after today's drama, you can't rule out a breakaway succeeding again.

You'll find the report of Kasper Asgreen's tremendous breakaway win in today's stage over here shortly.

We'll be back tomorrow for more fun. Catch you then!

Here's today's top five:

1. Kasper Asgreen

2. Pascal Eenkhorn

3. Jonas Abrahamsen

4. Jasper Philipsen

5. Mads Pedersen

Behind all of that madness, Jonas Vingegaard was safely delivered to the line to move one day closer to Paris.

Three stages to go. He's almost there.

Image source, Getty Images

As the peloton closed in, Victor Campenaerts made a massive final pull. He didn't care who won - he just wanted the breakaway to succeed!

A huge opportunity missed for the sprint teams.

But it's Kasper Asgreen's day.

That is one of the most thrilling finishes you will see to any stage.

The peloton were breathing down their necks, just metres behind the breakaway men, and Kasper Asgreen timed his final surge to perfection.

It's a stunning victory. It wasn't supposed to be possible today.

Vive le Tour!

INCREDIBLE!

Chapeau Kasper Asgreen - and indeed his breakaway companions Victor Campenaerts, Pascal Eenkhorn and Jonas Abrahamsen.

They actually did it.

Against all odds, against the whole peloton. Absolutely superb.

One final push needed from Victor Campenaerts, Pascal Eenkhorn, Jonas Abrahamsen and Kasper Asgreen...

It's on this!

Into the final kilometre!

The breakaway four still have a small advantage. Can they hold on?

The peloton is closing in. Five seconds...

It's chaos out on the road.

The peloton can see the breakaway riders now.

Just two kilometres to go and there's around nine seconds between them.

Nils Politt of Bora–Hansgrohe comes through and immediately brings down that deficit.

Just over four kilometres to go and the peloton is just 11 seconds back now.

That feels like a game changer, but there's still a lot of work for the sprint teams to do!

We're motoring towards the finish line now.

Pascal Eenkhorn, Victor Campenaerts, Kasper Asgreen and Jonas Abrahamsen are approaching the final five kilometres.

They've held their advantage at 20 seconds. They just have to go full gas all the way now. There's no time for games.

This is getting interesting. Into the final seven kilometres and the gap is still just above 20 seconds.

There's a lot of politics going on at the front of the peloton.

Could this really happen for the breakaway men? The peloton is looking rather disorganised.

The faces on the breakaway riders tell you this is getting seriously tough now.

They're not quite done yet, though. The fantastic four break into the final 10km with 24 seconds on the peloton.

Victor Campenaerts, Pascal Eenkhorn, Jonas Abrahamsen and Kasper Asgreen are giving this everything.

The breakaway dream is beginning to fade.

With 13km to go, the gap is at 30 seconds. Crucial kilometres ahead now for the lead four. Can they hold out?

Dan Hampshire: Fignon 1989, losing by 8 seconds to LeMond in the final day TT or Roche's stunning comeback against Delgado at La Plagne 1987. These are the moments sealing my love of this sport.

I wonder if things might start to get a bit nervy in the peloton soon.

It's bound to get a bit frantic as he sprint teams jostle for position in these closing stages.

The bunch sprint still looks like the likeliest outcome, but it's perhaps not the foregone conclusion most expected.

There's talk of crosswinds ahead. The gap is at 38 seconds. It's getting exciting now...

I tell you what, Victor Campenaerts, Pascal Eenkhorn, Jonas Abrahamsen and Kasper Asgreen are giving this a great go.

Because of how unlikely it has seemed all day that this would stick, you can't help but root for them.

The gap extends back out slightly to 50 seconds as we approach the final 20km. Interesting.

Image source, Getty Images

There's a fair breeze for the riders to contend with as we rapidly approach today's finish in Bourg-en-Bresse.

The lead four are still working well together, but their advantage has come down further, to 40 seconds, as the sprint teams look to keep everything under control and set up the perfect finish for their main men.

One man determined to arrive at a sprint to victory, as he visibly displayed in shutting down Pascal Eenkhorn earlier, is Jasper Philipsen.

The Belgian is aiming for his fifth stage win at this year's race, his most recent arriving on the last sprint-accommodating stage 11.

The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider, who in all has six Tour de France stages to his name, proved in his most recent victory that he did not necessarily require team-mate Mathieu van der Poel's lead-out as a launchpad for success.

Should we end up with a bunch sprint today, there is no question he will be the man to beat.

Image source, Getty Images

Lotto Dstny are among 12 of 22 teams yet to win a stage at this year's race.

It doesn't look like this will be a day for them, despite having both Victor Campenaerts and Pascal Eenkhorn up the road.

Alongside Jonas Abrahamsen and Kasper Asgreen, the gap once again drops below one minute as the pace in the peloton begins to ramp up.

GreenIsle: Normally the yellow jersey is off the back of the peloton sipping champagne, watching Bradley Wiggins on the front of the lead out train for Cav on the Champs Elysees in 2012 was awesome.

Image source, Getty Images