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.”
