Jasper Philipsen wins the Tour de France controversially

Ten minutes after the first entry Baiona, Jasper Phillipsen first sprint on Tour 2023. After two stages with legs on fire, suffering on the slopes Nursery, Stuka or Jaizkibel With a supporting role in the Basque Country’s explosive start, the sprinters have already made it to the Tour. It’s for them Grand Depart It was in Bayonne, and the tension was revealed in the finish where the Belgian played to the limit and forced the commissioners to work. Philipsen brought Wout Van Aert, who is currently unsuccessfully chasing his debut in this edition, into the fences and his action was the subject of investigation as it was clear that the Alpecin sprinter closed his compatriot, but it remains to be seen whether he will change the line in a punishing manner. For a few moments, the third phase became clear in the cell phones. Philipsen showed that there was nothing strange in the company of his partner, but the judges asked him to give explanations before the video. Not long after, his departing smile cleared up any doubts. It was a sprint for Philipsen, a victory that joined the one he achieved last year in Champs Elysees in Paris and that makes him the rival to beat in the next mass arrivals and a clear contender for the green jersey, a goal he announced at the start of Bilbao. The Tour left Spain, which was a huge success for the Basque fans. But Van Aert is still anchored in the same gesture, that of an angry kick for missed opportunities. He did it upon arrival in Kursaal when he could not reach lafay and he did it again this Monday along the Adour coast, when he had to lift his leg to avoid bigger problems. Anger is normally a great motivational fuel, and in the case of the Belgian it was evident when he plunged headlong into a sprint from the book for pure sprinters.

He, a priori, is not, but his power and quality, along with the anger he displayed Saint Sebastian Considering that things were not working in the best possible way in Jumbo, they made him a serious rival. In fact, Van Aert seemed to be able to get the better of Philipsen, but the proximity to the fence sometimes makes us question things. The gap was minimal, the risk maximal. And Van Aert’s mind was more about future opportunities and the upcoming World Cup than the possibility of blowing up. A lot of nerves In the first sprint of the Tour, everyone sees themselves as candidates for victory, and that’s why the positional dance was frantic, although at least there were no fears in the form of falls. And the most impressive thing is that the teams that later appeared in the lead – or directly did not – won the award. Soudal made a big bet on Jakobsen and sent the company to the streets of Baiona, Wanty gave his life for Grmay, Jumbo tried, but at the moment of truth, the one from Alpecin made a stellar and decisive appearance. Everything is easier on the back of a motorcycle like Mathieu Van der Poel, and Philipsen found himself in the lead and willing to defend his position as it was. Bauhaus came out of nowhere to take second place, while Caleb Ewan once again showed his ability to place in these finals. Until those last kilometers, the stage was a tourist tour of the Basque coast.

? Relive the hectic final KM for the first sprint stage #TDF2023. Jasper Philipsen from @alpecinDCK is triumphant.

? Relive the last kilometers of the first ce sprint #TDF2023with Jasper Philipsen, from @alpecinDCK Qui leve les bras pic.twitter.com/vr9nCBIEeQ

—Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 3, 2023

The tour once again acted as a magnificent guide showing the world the excellence of Vizcaya and Guipúzcoa on its farewell, before crossing into France via Irún. In fact, it was the only boost of the day, as after two explosive days the runners called a truce yesterday. It became clear when Christian Prudhomme gave the starting signal in Amorebieta, and only Laurent Pichon and the king of the mountain Pouwless jumped out of the group in search of adventure.

The peloton looked at them completely indifferently on the way out, so apart from the American’s effort to collect points on the mountain and celebrate with the crowd every time he crossed the hill, they livened up the monotony of the third stage a little. Also the attack of Victor Lafay, winner in San Sebastián, to defend his green jersey by taking points in Deba.

In Nogar, another sprint

With his mission accomplished after his first run through four stations in a day, Pouwless he said goodbye to teammate Pichon who at least had the honor of entering France first and taking home the award for the most fighting runner of the day. There wasn’t even much competition because the stage got serious only with 40 kilometers to go, when the team classification and the fight for the peloton leadership started. Today, on the way to Nogaro, everyone will meet again. On such a mountain tour, the sprint stages are a precious asset that should not be squandered, and the car course Paul Armagnac it will be a great stage to see the fastest riders in the peloton.