Belgian cyclist Jasper Philipsen finally clinched his first stage victory in this year’s Tour de France, winning Stage 10 with a commanding sprint finish on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old Philipsen, who secured four stage wins in last year’s edition, was delivered perfectly to the line by his Alpecin-Deceuninck teammate and world champion Mathieu van der Poel. The duo executed a textbook lead-out after 187.3 kilometers from Orleans, showcasing exceptional teamwork.
Eritrean cyclist Biniam Girmay, already a two-stage winner in this Tour, claimed second place, with Germany’s Pascal Ackermann finishing third.
Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey after an uneventful day for the general classification contenders, as the peloton gears up for a challenging mountain stage in the Massif Central on Wednesday.
“We came to the Tour de France with a strong lead-out train, and it paid off today,” said a delighted Philipsen after the race. “The mark is checked now; we can continue the Tour with more confidence. Every opportunity is precious, and today we made it count.”
Philipsen praised van der Poel’s crucial role in the finale: “Mathieu is a really strong guy. When he can show his power and play his part, there aren’t many riders who can emulate him. Having the world champion as your lead-out guy is fantastic.”
The day was marked by intermittent rain showers, but the peloton remained compact throughout, with sprinters’ teams jostling for position in the final kilometers. The victory was a significant relief for Philipsen, whose best result in this Tour had been a second-place finish prior to this win.
Meanwhile, Girmay’s second-place finish allowed him to maintain a solid lead in the points classification, holding 267 points to Philipsen’s 195, keeping the green jersey firmly on his shoulders.
As the Tour progresses, riders and teams anticipate the upcoming mountain stages, which are expected to shake up the general classification and offer new opportunities for climbers and contenders.
Reference(s):
Philipsen finally bags Tour stage win as Pogacar stays in control
cgtn.com
