The opening stage of the 2025 Tour de France was a whirlwind of chaos, crashes, and tactical battles, culminating in a thrilling sprint victory for Jasper Philipsen. The Belgian sprinter, riding for Alpecin-Deceuninck, claimed the stage win in Lille Métropole and donned the yellow jersey for the first time in his career. This victory marked Philipsen’s 10th Tour stage win over four years, underscoring his growing prowess in the race’s fast finishes.
From the start, the race was marked by furious speed and relentless crosswinds that split the peloton and created havoc among the riders. Multiple crashes and punctures forced many competitors to chase desperately to regain contact with the leading groups. About 18 kilometers from the finish, the crosswinds triggered a critical split. At the front, a select group emerged that included the race favourites Tadej Pogacar, the defending champion, and Jonas Vingegaard, the two-time winner of 2022 and 2023.
Both Pogacar and Vingegaard acknowledged the difficulty of the day and the inevitability of an attack in the crosswinds. Vingegaard described the conditions as forcing either their team or someone else to push hard in the wind, a move that ultimately gave them control at the front. Pogacar also praised his team’s commitment to staying at the front from the very start, helping him navigate the chaos.
However, not everyone fared as well. Several top contenders were caught behind in the splits, suffering significant time losses. Among those dropped were Remco Evenepoel, last year’s third-place finisher and the reigning Olympic road race champion; Primoz Roglic, the five-time Grand Tour winner; and Simon Yates, the Giro d’Italia champion and teammate to Vingegaard. Evenepoel and Roglic lost 39 seconds to the leading favourites, a difficult deficit so early in the race, while Yates fell even further behind, now more than six minutes adrift.
The stage also saw the early withdrawal of Filippo Ganna, the time trial specialist from Ineos Grenadiers, who crashed and abandoned the race just 52 kilometers in. His absence will be a blow for his team, particularly ahead of the upcoming individual time trial.
The race route, looping through the Pas-de-Calais and nearing the Belgian border before returning to Lille, included a brief breakaway of five riders who were eventually caught near the first intermediate sprint, won by Jonathan Milan. Later, a breakaway effort by Benjamin Thomas and Mattéo Vercher was undone when the pair crashed on a dusty cobbled climb at Mont Cassel, adding to the day’s drama.
Despite the chaos and setbacks, the stage ended with a powerful sprint finish. Philipsen’s team executed perfectly, protecting their sprinter and delivering him in prime position to take the win. With more sprint opportunities expected in the coming days, Philipsen looks well placed to add to his tally of stage victories.
Looking ahead, stage two promises more excitement. The route heads north towards the Channel at Boulogne-sur-Mer and features three short but sharp climbs in the final 30 kilometers, setting the scene for another unpredictable and intense day of racing.
