Philipsen Claims Stage Victory and Yellow Jersey in Tour de France Opener
Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin-Deceuninck secured victory in the opening stage of the Tour de France on Saturday, achieving both the stage win and the prestigious yellow jersey. After a competitive finish, Philipsen outpaced a group of approximately 40 riders, crossing the finish line ahead of his rivals. In an emotional response, Philipsen expressed, “This is unbelievable. My tenth stage win in the Tour is one I’ll never forget.”
Philipsen attributed his success to his team’s strategic planning and performance. “The performance we delivered as a team today is incredible. We knew this had to be our day—stay in front the whole race. It was very tense, but when it opened up 15 kilometres from the finish, we were in the echelon. The team did fantastic, and I was able to finish it off. We knew there was a huge opportunity today, and I’m so happy we took it.”
The atmosphere in Lille further inspired Philipsen, who noted, “All those fans in the last two kilometres gave me goosebumps. My legs got extra power from the adrenaline. An incredible feeling. I knew we just had to do it.”
On Sunday, the 27-year-old from Limburg is set to wear the yellow jersey for the first time in his career. “I already had the green jersey from two years ago, but now I can also hang the yellow jersey in my house. That will be fantastic. I wouldn’t have dared to dream of this,” he added, reflecting on his achievement, reports 24brussels.
