'So amazing' - Perfect Alpecin propel Philipsen to Tour de France yellow

"We were there all day waiting for the right moment, and when the split came, we were there with five riders, so amazing," said team director Christoph Roodhooft after the stage

The Belgian team capitalised on crosswinds that split the peloton in the last 20 kilometres, placing five riders in the front group. Their numerical advantage proved decisive in delivering Philipsen to victory.

"We were there all day trying to save energy but being where we had to be, keeping control of the situation," Roodhooft explained. "When the split came, ‘Visma | Lease a Bike’ was there, Uno-X was there, and the speed was high. It was done for everybody."

The victory marks Philipsen's tenth career Tour de France stage win, but the yellow jersey represents a special achievement for the team. Despite already holding the green jersey with Philipsen, the yellow holds particular significance with Philipsen in his post-stage interview, stating, "I cannot have dreamed about it. I already had the green jersey from two years ago, and then to have the yellow jersey hanging somewhere in my house in the next years is going to be amazing," 

"We've already had the yellow jersey for 11 days before, so we know what it means, but for a team like ours, it's the highest goal we can achieve," said Roodhooft.

Alpecin-Deceuninck's tactical approach throughout the stage demonstrated their experience and preparation that the team puts in for sprint situations at the Tour, ensuring they weren't caught out when the decisive splits formed in the crosswinds in the final moments of stage 1.

The team will now face the strong challenge of defending the coveted yellow jersey in the upcoming stages, especially with the punchy finish into Boulogne-sur-Mer on stage 2. In the process, Philipsen will continue his campaign to win a second green jersey of his career, after winning the points classification in 2023, but he is bound to face stiff competition for the jersey.