Jasper Philipsen, representing Alpecin, secured his second consecutive stage win in the Tour de France on Tuesday. However, the headlines were dominated by a series of high-speed falls that occurred at the Nogaro motorbike racetrack. Philipsen, clocking in at over 67kph, snatched the victory in the sprint points battle, narrowly defeating Caleb Ewan and Phil Bauhaus.
The Belgian rider expressed his astonishment at the chaotic finish. The 25-year-old admitted, “I’ve never experienced a finish like that before. Those curves are tight, and I’m so relieved not to have fallen.” Philipsen’s teammate and lead-out man, Mathieu van der Poel, also criticized the decision to conclude the stage on a racetrack, stating, “A circuit is not safer than a road. I’m just glad I stayed upright and found a gap for Jasper.”
Philipsen concurred, noting that the slow and uneventful race may have contributed to the riders’ nerves. The technicality of the racetrack’s corners exceeded his expectations. He acknowledged the inherent dangers of the sport, emphasizing that safety cannot always be guaranteed. Unfortunately, his fellow rider Fabio Jakobsen was involved in one of the crashes, but Philipsen denied any intent to cause harm, stating, “It’s not my aim to make anyone fall. My view is that he tried to squeeze into a space that was too small.”
Meanwhile, British veteran Mark Cavendish continued to face frustration in his pursuit of a record-breaking 35th Tour de France win, as he finished fifth in the stage. Cavendish expressed disappointment in his choice of following the wrong wheel.
The chaotic finish witnessed numerous crashes on the rounded chicanes of the motorbike racetrack. Tour medics confirmed that two riders suffered broken collarbones as a result.
Jasper Philipsen, previously mocked at last year’s Tour, has redeemed himself with his fourth consecutive triumph on a Tour de France stage culminating in a mass bunch sprint. He becomes the first rider since Cavendish in 2008 to achieve back-to-back victories in sprint stages of the race. Adam Yates maintained his overall lead in the yellow jersey, holding a six-second advantage over teammate Tadej Pogacar and a seven-second lead over his brother Simon Yates.
Reflecting on the day’s slow-paced flat stage, Yates commented, “Today went well, nobody wanted to break away, and the sprinters were delighted.” Looking ahead to the Tour’s first significant mountain stage, he predicted more action, as it presents a prime opportunity for breakaways.
American rider Neilson Powless donned the polka dot climb jersey on the July 4 holiday, and he will likely strive to retain it in the upcoming mountain stage. The stage includes challenging climbs such as the beyond-category Col de Soudet and the demanding Col de Marie Blanc, posing a tough test for the riders.

