Tour de France Stage 1 Recap: Philipsen Triumphs in Windy Start, Evenepoel Caught in Breakaway

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There were mixed outcomes for the multitude of Belgian fans who crossed the border for the Tour de France’s opening stage, as Jasper Philipsen secured victory, while prominent rider Remco Evenepoel struggled in his pursuit of the title.

In a hectic sprint finish in the northern city of Lille, Philipsen claimed the yellow jersey, marking his tenth Tour de France victory and a rare race lead for a competitor typically focused on sprinting points.

Philipsen outpaced Eritrean Biniam Girmay and Norway’s Soren Waerenskjold, with Dane Vingegaard and defending champion Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia finishing in the front group.

Kaden Groves from Australia was thrilled to contribute to his Alpecin-Deceuninck teammate Philipsen’s third victory of the season.

“There were echelons, and the race split with about 25km remaining,” Groves mentioned.

The pack of riders (peloton) cycles during the 1st stage of the 112th edition of the Tour de France

The group of cyclists (peloton) rides during the 1st stage of the 112th Tour de France cycling race, 184.9 km starting and ending in Lille Metropole, northern France. Source: AFP / Anne-Christine Poujoulat

“That’s what we expected actually, and we had numbers in the front [group] who could dictate the race.”

And Philipsen added: “It’s really amazing. My 10th victory is something I will never forget.

“The team performance was incredible. I think we were there all day. It was very nervous but we knew today could be our day and we have to be in the front and we were there in the split.

“The team did amazing and in the end we could just use our strength and finish it off.”

How the Stage 1 race unfolded

Vingegaard was on red alert as the split started and his explosive acceleration helped stun the peloton and leave his Visma team delighted with the damage done by the day’s work with a 40sec advantage over several important rivals.

“It was our plan to use the wind at 20km and it worked,” said Vingegaard.

Known for his pounces in the mountains, Vingegaard has won the Tour in 2022 and 2023.

The 28-year-old grew up in a remote fishing community, racing into strong winds on the coastal roads in Denmark.

UAE Team Emirate - XRG team's Belgian rider Tim Wellens, UAE Team Emirate - XRG team's Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar and Team Visma

Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar (middle) and Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard (right) await the start of the 1st stage. Source: AFP / Marco Bertorello

Defending champion Pogacar appeared flustered at the finish line.

“It was as frantic as we had expected, but when the split came fortunately I was near the front,” said the 26-year-old Slovenian.

“I’m just happy day one is done. Nine days to go before the first rest day.”

Billed as the third man here after finishing behind Pogacar and Vingegaard on his debut Tour in 2024, star rider Remco Evenepoel was in sombre mood at his team bus.

“We got caught off guard, thinking the danger had passed,” Evenepoel noted regarding the split that trapped both him and his team’s sprinter Tim Merlier just 20km from the end.

Belgian Remco Evenepoel of Soudal Quick-Step pictured at the start of the first stage. Source: AFP / Jasper Jacobs

Around 40 riders in the first group contested the sprint where one of the day’s many falls happened.

Primoz Roglic and Florian Lipowitz of Red Bull, and Team UAE’s Joao Almeida were also caught out in the blustery winds.

Another UAE man, Adam Yates, lost minutes, meaning Pogacar’s two deputies are off the pace if something happens to the UAE star man.

Africa’s sole rider Biniam Girmay, winner of three stages in 2024, was second on the day as Philipsen got ahead of him with 100m to go.

Intermarch - Wanty team's Eritrean rider Biniam Girmay celebrates on the podium

Eritrean rider Biniam Girmay celebrates on the podium with the best young rider’s white jersey after the 1st stage. Source: AFP / Loic Venance

But Girmay, winner of the 2024 best sprinter’s green jersey, ended the stage with the white jersey for the best 25-and-under rider.

Fans packed the route in one of France’s more modest regions passing First World War memorials, red-brick houses and slagheaps from long-closed coal mines along the Belgian border.

Under overcast skies with the temperature a manageable 22C, the peloton cut a fast pace despite the windy conditions.

Racing towards an intermediate sprint over cobbles, escapee Benjamin Thomas slid sideways and took out his sole rival Matteo Vercher in one spectacular fall and the pair were still bickering when the peloton shot past them.

Former time-trial world champion Filippo Ganna was one rider who will take no further part after a clumsy fall on a corner.

The Italian would have been a contender on the lengthy stage five individual time-trial, as well as key in the Ineos team’s campaign to get veteran Geraint Thomas into the top 10 on his 14th and final Tour de France.

Philipsen, in yellow, will lead the peloton out for Sunday’s second stage, a hilly 209km route to the beaches of Boulogne-sur-Mer.