LILLE, France (5 July 2025) – A masterclass in sprint train execution sees Jasper Philipsen add yellow to his palmarès as the wind wreaks havoc on the Tour’s opening day
The cobblestones of northern France have always been treacherous territory for Grand Tour contenders, but few could have predicted just how dramatically the 2025 Tour de France would explode into life on its very first day. What began as a seemingly straightforward sprinter’s stage around Lille Métropole transformed into a tactical masterpiece that saw Jasper Philipsen claim not just his tenth Tour stage victory, but his first-ever yellow jersey, while several General Classification hopefuls found themselves nursing significant time losses before the race had barely begun.
As the peloton rolled out from Vauban’s Citadel for the 184.9-kilometer loop, the mild elevation profile of just 1,150 meters and three categorized climbs suggested a routine day for the sprinters. The reality proved far more complex, with crosswinds and aggressive racing creating a chess match of positioning that would ultimately separate the tactically astute from the caught-out.
The Early Moves
The opening salvos came immediately, as tradition dictates. Mattéo Vercher of Total Energies, clearly relishing his role as the Tour’s first attacker, launched himself clear as soon as the flag dropped in earnest. His bold move attracted quality company in the form of Jonas Rutsch (Intermarché-Wanty), Matis Le Berre (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Bruno Armirail (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), and Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis).
The quintet established a maximum advantage of 2 minutes and 25 seconds, enough to contest the day’s opening King of the Mountains points at the Côte de Notre-Dame-de-Lorette. Thomas, the experienced track specialist turned road racer, showed his tactical nous to claim the polka dots—a move that was clearly part of Cofidis’s strategic planning.
“I’m really happy, because that’s what we had decided in the team briefing. I was free to break away,” Thomas would later explain. “Once I took the first point, I needed a second to secure the polka dot jersey, and it all came down to Mont Cassel.”
The writing was already on the wall as Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) and Silvan Dillier (Alpecin-Deceuninck) began the chase behind.
The First Fractures
The peloton’s nervousness was palpable from the early kilometers, and rightfully so. Northern France’s crosswinds are legendary for their ability to split fields, and several teams had clearly marked this stage as potentially decisive. As the pace ramped up past the 50-kilometer mark, the first casualties began to emerge.
Filippo Ganna and Stefan Bissegger, two of the sport’s premier time trialists, found themselves on the wrong end of crashes that would ultimately force both to abandon.
The break was inevitably reeled in before the first intermediate sprint at kilometer 87.5, where Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) demonstrated his growing confidence by taking maximum points ahead of Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty), and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck). This sprint would prove prophetic, showcasing the key protagonists who would later contest the stage victory.
The Wind Awakens
Vercher’s second attack alongside Thomas briefly rekindled hopes of a successful breakaway, but their crash on the descent of Mont Cassel at kilometer 139.7 epitomized the day’s aggressive nature. The incident, which saw both riders hit the deck hard, demonstrated the fine margins that separate success from disaster in professional cycling.
For Thomas, the crash was particularly significant as it occurred during his bid to secure the polka dot jersey. “It’s a place I know well because we often ride there during the 4 Jours de Dunkerque,” he reflected. “And yet I attacked too early, Matteo came back and we had to sprint. On the cobbles, you always sprint sitting down, but when I threw the bike forward, I lost my balance, my front wheel came off and we fell. I didn’t even know if I had crossed the line first!”
The Cofidis rider was quick to take responsibility for the incident. “It was entirely my fault, so I went to apologise to him and luckily he’s fine. I’m a bit sore and I’ll be aching for two or three days, but nothing too serious.”
“Then there was an incident on Mont Cassel,” Vercher reflected. “I don’t blame him because that’s cycling, he made me fall but it could easily have been the other way round. The most important thing is that we can both start again tomorrow, because we could easily have broken something. In any case, I’m happy to start the Tour in this frame of mind, it will bring positive energy to the team.”
As the duo hit the deck, the peloton was already fracturing behind them under the relentless pressure of crosswinds.
Soudal Quick-Step, masters of Belgian classics racing, were the first to turn the screw with 77 kilometers remaining. Their acceleration immediately put riders on the back foot, with the Yates twins (Adam and Simon) among those initially distanced, though both managed to regain contact. Less fortunate was Lenny Martinez, who would struggle throughout the day, and the already-battered duo of Bissegger and Ganna, whose Tour dreams ended in the team cars.
The situation settled momentarily, but Visma-Lease a Bike had other plans. With Jonas Vingegaard’s tactical nous driving their strategy, the Dutch team delivered the killer blow with 20 kilometers remaining. Their precisely-timed acceleration created the definitive split of the day, one that would prove costly for several marquee names.
The Decisive Split
When Visma-Lease a Bike hit the front with such venom, the peloton exploded like a fragmentation grenade. Remco Evenepoel, the young Belgian sensation from Soudal Quick-Step, found himself on the wrong side of the split alongside Primož Roglič and Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe). Also caught out were Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step), Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), and surprisingly, Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike).
The 39-second gap that opened would prove insurmountable, despite frantic chasing from the second group. For Biniam Girmay, who found himself in the front group, the tactical awareness that kept him positioned correctly would prove crucial to his stage podium.
“A lot of guys were super nervous about the wind from the beginning of the stage,” Girmay observed. “I was sure the bunch was going to split at some point. I tried to find a good spot for myself in case something happened, and I managed to do it when the real split happened.”
Alpecin’s Masterclass
While chaos reigned behind, Alpecin-Deceuninck were executing their sprint preparation with clinical precision. The Belgian team’s strength in depth showed as they took control of the front group, with Mathieu van der Poel and Kaden Groves forming a formidable lead-out train for their designated finisher.
Van der Poel, the former world champion, demonstrated his tactical intelligence by launching Groves at the perfect moment. The Australian’s acceleration was timed to perfection, creating the platform for Philipsen to unleash his devastating finishing kick.
The Sprint Supreme
As the barriers of Lille approached, Philipsen found himself in the position every sprinter dreams of: clear road ahead, perfect timing, and the legs to deliver. His acceleration was simply devastating, opening a gap that his rivals couldn’t close despite their best efforts.
“It’s really amazing, I will never forget this tenth victory in the Tour,” Philipsen beamed. “It was an incredible team performance. It was nervous all day, we had to be in the front and then it really opened up in the final 15 kilometres. We used our strength and we finished it off. I knew I had really good legs and the fans in the final kilometres gave me goosebumps.”
Biniam Girmay, who had matched Philipsen blow for blow throughout the 2024 Tour, found himself in the familiar position of runner-up. However, the Eritrean’s tactical positioning had been compromised by the earlier echelon splits, leaving him isolated in the crucial final kilometers.
“Unfortunately, I had to do everything by myself and spend a lot of energy because I didn’t have any teammates with me – and I missed them,” Girmay explained. “I’m sort of happy with my second place, but also a bit pissed. It is not nice to miss such a good opportunity to wear the Yellow jersey. The white jersey is a good consolation prize, especially in my last year competing for it – but I have to admit that, in my mind, the best jersey in the Tour de France is the green one.”
Despite the disappointment, Girmay’s second place was nonetheless a statement of intent. “In any case, I’m super happy with my shape as I was able to feel comfortable from start to finish on the stage. I feel tired now, but there is another good chance for me tomorrow. I came here to win stages, and I’ll try to land one as quickly as possible.”
Soren Waerenskjold completed the podium, a result that validated the Norwegian’s growing reputation as a genuine sprint contender at the highest level.
The Yellow Jersey Emotion
For Philipsen, the significance of claiming his first yellow jersey was overwhelming. The Belgian had established himself as one of the Tour’s most consistent stage winners, but the maillot jaune had always eluded him. As he crossed the line with arms raised, the emotion was unmistakable.
“We had a great opportunity today and I’m so glad we took it,” Philipsen reflected. “I’ve dreamed about the Maillot Jaune. I had the green jersey two years ago and now to have the yellow jersey hanging in my house, it’s gonna be amazing. I’m gonna enjoy it with the team because we all deserve it. Mathieu [Van der Poel] got the jersey in 2021 and it’s amazing for the team to repeat this success. Also, it was my first big chance to take the yellow jersey and I’m so happy to have made it.”
The victory marked his tenth Tour stage win, placing him in increasingly exclusive company. More importantly, it demonstrated his evolution from a pure sprinter to a complete cyclist capable of surviving the brutal tactical warfare that defines modern Grand Tour racing.
The team aspect of the victory was not lost on the Belgian champion. “There’s always pressure in the Tour. The competition is really high. We had to be 100% focused. The support from the guys around me, their experience, their composure, it gives me confidence and I’m happy to do the final kilometres with them. It’s a real team effort and I’m glad to finish it off. Everything needs to go well. Now the pressure is off and we’ll try to go for more.”
Thomas Claims the Polka Dots
Despite the crash that marred his day, Benjamin Thomas’s strategic aggression paid dividends as he secured the King of the Mountains jersey—a first in his career. The significance of the achievement wasn’t lost on the Cofidis rider.
“It’s my first climber’s jersey, in any race, so I’m really happy,” Thomas beamed. “And of course, the one in the Tour is legendary. We’ll see tomorrow if it’s worth trying to break away, but I’d like to keep it.”
The crash may have been painful, but Thomas’s tactical execution in the early break demonstrated the kind of opportunistic racing that makes the Tour de France so compelling. His willingness to take responsibility for the incident with Vercher also showcased the sporting values that define professional cycling at its best.
Tactical Ramifications
The day’s events have already reshaped the Tour’s strategic landscape. With Evenepoel, Roglič, and Lipowitz now 39 seconds adrift, their teams face the stark reality of having to claw back time on stages where opportunities may be limited.
For Vingegaard and Pogačar, both of whom navigated the day’s chaos successfully, the early advantage provides a crucial buffer. Their presence in the front group demonstrated the tactical awareness that separates true Grand Tour contenders from mere stage hunters.
The Road Ahead
As the Tour heads south toward more mountainous terrain, the lessons of Lille will reverberate through the entire peloton. The early assertion of dominance by teams like Visma-Lease a Bike and Alpecin-Deceuninck has established a clear hierarchy, while the caught-out riders face the daunting task of recovery.
For Philipsen, the immediate challenge is clear: how long can he hold the yellow jersey? History suggests that pure sprinters rarely retain the overall lead once the mountains arrive, but his tactical maturity and the strength of his team provide genuine hope for an extended stay in yellow.
The 2025 Tour de France has announced itself emphatically, serving notice that this will be a race where tactical awareness and positioning prove just as important as pure physical ability. In the wind-swept roads around Lille, Jasper Philipsen has claimed his crown, but the real battle for supremacy has only just begun.
By the Numbers
10: PHILIPSEN HIGHER IN HISTORY BOOKS
Jasper Philipsen becomes the 36th rider to raise his arms for the 10th time in the Tour de France. He equals the Dutch riders Gerrie Knetemann, Jan Raas and Joop Zoetemelk, the Belgian rider Walter Godefroot, the Luxembourger rider Charly Gaul and the French riders Henri Pelissier, Maurice Archambaud and Antonin Magne.
1771: FINALLY A SPRINTER IN YELLOW
Wearing the Yellow Jersey was “a dream” for Jasper Philipsen. He is the first sprinter to do so since Alexander Kristoff, 1,771 days ago. The Norwegian opened the 2020 Tour de France by winning in Nice. His compatriot Soren Waerenskjold almost succeeded him, finishing third today. Since Kristoff’s last victory on August 29, 2020, Norway has finished nine stages in the top three.
7: BELGIUM, A SAFE BET
Jasper Philipsen extends Belgium’s streak of winning at least one stage since 2019 (7th consecutive edition). This is Belgium’s 491st victory, earning its 457th Yellow Jersey. The last one was Wout Van Aert during the Tour 2022, stage 5. That was already in the Nord department, between Lille Métropole and Arenberg!
90: THOMAS AFTER COSNEFROY
Benjamin Thomas is the first French rider to take the polka dot jersey since Benoit Cosnefroy in 2020, 90 stages ago. France had dominated the mountains classification for most of this Tour, thanks to Fabien Grellier (stage 1) and then Cosnefroy (stages 2 to 16). The Cofidis team had not held the polka dot jersey since Simon Geschke’s performance in 2022 (stages 9 to 17).
2: GIRMAY STILL MAKING HISTORY
Robbie Hunter was the only African rider to wear the white jersey in the Tour, in 2001. The South African is joined in this regard by Biniam Girmay, who leads the young riders’ classification after finishing 2nd today.
75: WAERENSKJOLD THE FASTEST
At 75.69 km/h, Soren Waerenskjold reached the highest speed of the final sprint in Lille. The Norwegian was even faster than Jasper Philipsen (71.46 km/h), without beating him on the finish line!
27: FAST CLIMBERS
Today’s three climbs, each of category 4, were all completed at 27 km/h! Benjamin Thomas climbed the Côte de Notre-Dame-de-Lorette at 27.78 km/h, then the Côte de Cassel at 27.27 km/h. Jonas Vingegaard finished the job in the Mont Noir at 27.23 km/h. It’s the first time the Danish is the first rider in a category 4 climb!
115: BAD LUCK FOR GANNA AND ITALY
Filippo Ganna will not finish his second Tour de France. The six-time Italian time trial champion withdrew after 115 kilometers, suffering a crash at kilometer 52. This is the second time in a row that an Italian opens the list of retirements, after Michele Gazzoli during stage 1 last year.
1: FIRST TIME FOR ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK
This is the first time that the Alpecin-Deceuninck team achieved the combo stage 1 – Yellow Jersey. This has already happened one time in a Grand Tour, during the Giro d’Italia 2022 (Mathieu Van der Poel). The team also achieved its 12th Tour de France victory: 2 with Van der Poel and Merlier in 2021, 10 with Philipsen since 2022.
5449: ALWAYS MORE!
49 of the 184 riders in the peloton this morning were starting their first Tour de France. There are now 5,449 cyclists to have participated in the race since its first edition in July 1903.
3: PHILIPSEN VS GIRMAY
This is the third time that Jasper Philipsen and Biniam Girmay finished 1st and 2nd in a Tour stage. Last year, the Eritrean won ahead of the Belgian in Colombey-les-deux-Églises (stage 8). Philipsen took his revenge by beating Girmay in Saint-Amand-Montrond (stage 10). The two men are also the last two winners of the green jersey, in 2023 for Philipsen and 2024 for Girmay.
Stage 1 Results
Lille Métropole > Lille Métropole (184.9km)
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- Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 4:24:33
- Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) s.t.
- Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Mobility) s.t.
Selected finishers:
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- Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) +39″
- Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +39″
- Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +39″
General Classification
After Stage 1
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- Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 4:24:23
- Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) +6″
- Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Mobility) +10″
Jersey Holders
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- Yellow Jersey (Overall Leader): Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
- Green Jersey (Points Classification): Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
- Polka Dot Jersey (King of the Mountains): Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis)
- White Jersey (Best Young Rider): Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty)
