Jasper Philipsen wins stage one victory and yellow jersey in Tour de France
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) added a major milestone to his career on Saturday by winning the opening stage of the Tour de France, earning not only the stage victory but also the coveted yellow jersey.
After a tense finale, Philipsen emerged as the fastest from a group of around 40 riders, crossing the line with a clear lead. His celebration reflected disbelief, and in his first reaction, he admitted, “This is unbelievable. My tenth stage win in the Tour is one I’ll never forget.”
He credited his team's efforts and race strategy for the triumph: “The performance we delivered as a team today is incredible. We knew this had to be our day—stay in front the whole race. It was very tense, but when it opened up 15 kilometres from the finish, we were in the echelon. The team did fantastic, and I was able to finish it off. We knew there was a huge opportunity today, and I’m so happy we took it.”
The enthusiastic crowds in Lille gave Philipsen an extra emotional boost. “All those fans in the last two kilometres gave me goosebumps. My legs got extra power from the adrenaline. An incredible feeling. I knew we just had to do it.”
On Sunday, the 27-year-old from Limburg will wear the iconic yellow jersey for the first time in his career. “I already had the green jersey from two years ago, but now I can also hang the yellow jersey in my house. That will be fantastic. I wouldn’t have dared to dream of this.”
#FlandersNewsService | Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin-Deceuninck celebrates after winning the first stage, Lille Metropole to Lille Metropole (185 km), of the 2025 Tour de France cycling race on Saturday 05 July 2025.
© BELGA PHOTO JASPER JACOBS
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