Honest Philipsen admits he was 'à bloc' after fifth in Tour de France sprint opener
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) has stated he was à bloc after the opening sprint showdown of the Tour de France on stage 5 in Pau, where he ended in fifth place.
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The first opportunity for the sprinters to shine in the Tour was always going to lead to a nervy and chaotic affair, and that proved to be the case when the bunch was split by a crash with just over 5km to go.
The majority of the sprinters, including Philipsen, managed to avoid the initial incident, making a selective front group, but that was only half the battle.
The fight for position saw those remaining in the bunch string out over the final couple of kilometres, with Philipsen and Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) among those left with work to do to move up, just as XDS Astana readied to lead out the sprint.
When Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM) launched his acceleration, Philipsen and Merlier had too much ground to make up with not enough road. Kooij's powerful sprint ensured that the Dutchman took a commanding victory in his first-ever Tour sprint stage.
Max Kanter (XDS Astana) finished second on the stage while Merlier claimed third. Philipsen ended in fifth. The Alpecin-Premier Tech rider was honest in his initial reactions, explaining that he didn’t have the legs to win in the finale.
“I was completely à bloc. It was not a good sprint,” Philipsen told reporters, including TNTSports and Sporza.
Philipsen was asked if the combination of the challenging start to the Tour combined with the heat had an impact, and while the Belgian admitted it may have played its part, he still didn’t treat it as an excuse, as all riders were dealing with the same conditions.
“Yeah, it was possible; we just have to take a look. But it was not how it should be,” said Philipsen. "It wasn't a great day, I suppose. It’s been tough for everyone these past few days, though that shouldn't be an excuse."
Philipsen and the sprinters will have to navigate a difficult stage 6 that includes the Col du Tourmalet, before the terrain turns back in their favour on stage 7 with a flat stage to Bordeaux.
Philipsen was the last stage winner in Bordeaux back in 2023, where the Belgian finished ahead of Mark Cavendish and Biniam Girmay.
Result: Tour de France stage 5
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