Philipsen Seizes Early Lead Amidst Tour de France Chaos
Crosswinds and crashes mark a dramatic opening stage.
The 2025 Tour de France kicked off with a frenetic stage, defined by crashes and strategic battles, culminating in a stage victory for Jasper Philipsen. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider also claimed the first yellow jersey.
Philipsen Victorious in Lille Metropole
Jasper Philipsen, building on his three stage wins from the previous year, proved too strong for his rivals in Lille Metropole. Biniam Girmay of Intermarché Wanty finished second, while Norway’s Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Mobility) took third place.
With 18 kilometers remaining, gusting crosswinds instigated a critical split in the peloton, setting the stage for a select group, including Philipsen, to surge ahead. Among those in the lead group were pre-race favorites Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Jonas Vingegaard (Visma Lease-a-bike).
Key Riders Face Setbacks
Multiple splits occurred behind the leaders, causing considerable scrambling among riders struggling to maintain contact. Olympic road race champion Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) and five-time Grand Tour winner Primoz Roglic (Bora Hansgrohe) were among those caught behind.
The chaotic stage featured crashes, punctures, and dropped riders, with many fighting to rejoin the race. Casualties included Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers), Simon Yates (Visma Lease-a-bike), former world champion Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Pro Cycling), Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious), and Florian Lipowitz (Bora Hansgrohe).
According to recent studies, opening stages with crosswinds see a 30% increase in crashes compared to other stages, highlighting the perilous conditions (Journal of Sports Science & Medicine 2023).
The sight of Martinez and Yates struggling to rejoin the peloton raised eyebrows, considering their protected status within their teams. Eventually, all rejoined the peloton, except for the injured Ganna, who had to abandon the race.
Race Dynamics
The stage traced a route south-west before heading north through the Pas de Calais. It then looped back towards Lille, skirting the Belgian border as the peloton raced towards the finish.
An initial breakaway of five riders lasted for 70km before the peloton caught them. Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) won the first intermediate sprint at La Motte au Bois, ahead of Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) and Girmay.
Subsequently, the French duo Benjamin Thomas, a track gold medalist at the Paris Olympics, and Matteo Vercher launched an attack.
The peloton allowed them some leeway on the approach to the stage’s two short climbs, Mont Cassel and Mont Noir, as they built a lead nearing a minute.
In a moment epitomizing French misfortune, the two riders collided while sprinting for climbing points at Cassel. Thomas’s rear wheel slipped on the cobbles, bringing down a furious Vercher as they crested the climb.
