'Yellow would be a dream' – Sprinters set for showdown on stage 1 of Tour de France

For the first time since 2020, the opening stage of the Tour de France in Lille on July 5 presents a major opportunity for the sprinters to fight for the opening yellow jersey of the race. Amid the ongoing debate over the lack of opportunities for the pure sprinters in the modern peloton, this is a chance that the best in the world will not want to pass up on. The opening stage starts and finishes in the city of Lille and sees the riders travel 184.9km with three categorised climbs. All three are rated category 4, and the final ascent, the Mont Noir (1.3km at 6.4%), comes around 45km from the finish line, with the remainder of the stage being flat - which you can read more about in our stage-by-stage guide.

One man who will have his eyes set on this stage is the current European champion, Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step), who has a case to be considered the best in the business right now after a stellar 2025 so far with ten victories to his name. In three of his four Grand Tour appearances, Merlier has celebrated at least one stage win, and in total, he has five in his collection. The second of those stages came on his Tour debut in 2021, then racing for Alpecin-Fenix, but the Belgian hasn't appeared at the race since. 

However, Merlier is set to make his return to the Tour with his Soudal-QuickStep team, who also have Remco Evenepoel in their ranks. Merlier will have Bert van Lerberghe as a key rider to support him in the sprint stages, but the sprinter has been quick to acknowledge the role his Belgian teammate would play in also protecting Evenepoel and the overall willingness in the team camp for collective success.

"Bert is important, not only for the sprints but also for Remco to bring him in position," Merlier said. "In the first day, it's a really important day for the sprinters, we can take the yellow jersey. But there's only one guy who can take the jersey. If it's not on day 1, we focus on the other stages.

Merlier also highlighted that while he has his ambitions set on winning the first stage and taking yellow, there will be plenty of strong competition and also further opportunities if he doesn't take the win in Lille.

"We also have a lot of other sprinters, but the first stage win is very important for the sprinters; there are other opportunities," Merlier said. "Hopefully, I can win one."

Meanwhile, a rider who is set to pose a significant challenge to Merlier and Soudal Quick-Step in the sprints is Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek). Despite his impressive palmares, which has seen him win four stages of the Giro d'Italia and the points classification twice, Milan is set for his Tour debut. This hasn't stopped him coming into the race as one of the favourites for the sprint stages and points classification. 

Like Merlier, the Lidl-Trek rider will have his eyes set on the opening stage in Lille, with the ambition to become the first Italian to wear the yellow jersey since teammate Giulio Ciccone in 2019. In recent times, Milan has had success in France, winning a stage at the Critérium du Dauphiné.

In the Lidl-Trek press conference, Milan was asked if he felt any pressure, as his team have backed him with a strong lead-out for the sprint stages with riders such as Jasper Stuyven, Edward Theuns, and Simone Consonni. However, the Italian suggested that the team's strength, in fact, helps him feel more confident due to their ability to guide him to the front in the crucial moments, in particular Consonni, due to their tight-knit relationship on a bike.

"Of course, I feel a bit, but not that much. I know that we have a really strong team for the lead out, I think it's one of the best teams, and this gives me less pressure," Milan said. "Because, when you have a strong team like this to support you, bring you in the front, to guide you in the last kilometres, I think you have less pressure, so we will try to do just what we did until now."

The opening stage represents the biggest challenge of Milan's career to date.

"Yellow would be a dream - for me it's like the pink jersey in the Giro," he said. "We know what is on the table for that stage, but I think I will go there with the mentality it's just a normal sprint. Because then it's just the contest that is changing."

Milan also highlighted Tim Merlier, Jasper Philipsen, Dylan Groenewegen, Biniam Girmay and Wout van Aert as some of his key challengers for the opening stage, one which he is fully aware of the potential dangers with the potential for crashes, and even potentially some exposed sections to wind.

"Everyone will want to stay in the front to avoid crashes. Hopefully, we will not have them, but in any case, everyone will want to stay in front to avoid them," Milan said. "We have to think also about the kilometres before, because we have many open parts. So, if there will be a bit of wind, it will become a bit critical in some points." 

Beyond the opening stage, Milan stands out as one of the top contenders for the points classification, and the Italian spoke about his ambitions for the green jersey. "The green jersey will be tough, it always is, but it's one of my big goals."

“If you win stages and consistently get results, you naturally start competing for it. For now, I’m just focused on the early sprint stages. I see five or six real chances," Milan said.

In terms of challengers, Milan was asked specifically whether he thought that Mathieu van der Poel would go for green also, as many have highlighted the possibility of a more versatile rider winning the points classification based on this year's route.

"Yeah, he will go for it. I think also Jasper [Philipsen], maybe he would like to have it again," Milan said. "So I mean, I'm expecting a super strong Van der Poel after his Dauphine. You know, he was climbing really, really good. And he could be one also there." However, in his press conference on Thursday afternoon, Mathieu van der Poel announced that he would not be targeting the points classification.

Alpecin-Deceuninck's team remains stacked for the sprints however, as nine-time Tour stage winner Jasper Philipsen is set to lead the line from the line with support from Mathieu van der Poel and Kaden Groves. 

"Of course, the yellow jersey is an objective," Philipsen said. "For the first time in my career, I get a golden opportunity to grab it in that first stage. In 2019, there was the Grand Départ in Brussels, and a bunch sprint was also a possibility there, but I was still very young then."

Philipsen ended a 109-day victory drought with a stage win at the Baloise Belgium Tour on June 19, but insists that despite the lack of wins, there is no reason to panic and he believes that his form will be good when it matters most.

"I don't think I won that much more last year, before the Tour. But now the run-up period was a bit more 'ups and downs'. Still, that doesn't stress me out. I'm on schedule, I'm coming here in the best possible shape. That's what counts. Not what happened in the (recent) past," he said.

"I had the same preparation as last year, went on an altitude training camp. My form is very good, I feel even better than at the start of the Tour 2024, if possible. The biggest chances of winning for me/our team are in the first week. I don't see it right away in the second week. Hopefully, we will quickly get into the 'winning flow.'" 

Speaking specifically about the opening stage, Philipsen also mentioned the possibility of wind, and also the fact that the team plan is to work for him in the sprints, and to help Mathieu van der Poel on the hillier stages.

"I don't know the weather forecast, but the wind could possibly play a role. But in principle I will be in action in Lille, in the days after that there will also be opportunities for Mathieu [van der Poel]," Philipsen said.

The Belgian was also complimentary about his competitors for the sprints and highlighted two riders in particular that he will be intent on beating if he is to take yellow in Lille on Saturday.

"It's hard to say who my main sprint rival will be, Merlier or Milan. They are both incredibly fast and both have a very good chance of winning that first bunch sprint on Saturday."

Philipsen maintains that regardless of the outcome on Saturday, there will be plenty more opportunities to define his Tour de France this July.

"Saturday will be an important day right away. But if it doesn't work out, there will undoubtedly be more opportunities. My Tour won't be ruined if I don't win in Lille. It lasts three weeks," the Belgian sprinter said.

Twelve months ago, it was the history-maker Biniam Girmay (Intermarché - Wanty) who stole the headlines, winning three stages and the points classification, and despite a low-key 2025, Girmay remains positive about the upcoming battles.

"It has not been a perfect season so far," Girmay admitted in his press conference. "I have not won yet, but my form is about the same as last year. I have had a good preparation and am looking forward to the Tour."

"Of course, it is always good for your confidence to win before the Tour, but it is what it is. I try to approach it as positively as possible for myself and for my teammates. Because every result, no matter how small, counts in the Tour."

"In the first stage, the yellow jersey is automatically the answer. That is a dream. I am going all out, but it will not be easy."