Roglič and Evenepoel Lose 39 Seconds in Stage 1
Wind Shapes the Final 20 Kilometers
In the last 17 kilometers, the peloton split due to crosswinds, forming two main groups. Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard made the front group of around 40 riders, while Primož Roglič and Remco Evenepoel were left behind. Their chase failed, costing them 39 seconds already on the opening day.
Philipsen Wins Sprint, Claims Yellow
At the front, Philipsen and Eritrean sprinter Biniam Girmay were the last sprinters standing, making them the clear favorites for the stage. Alpecin-Deceuninck delivered a perfect lead-out for Philipsen, who launched an exceptionally long sprint and crossed the line ahead of Girmay and Søren Wærenskjold.
🇧🇪 @JasperPhilipsen wins the first stage of the #TDF2025!
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 5, 2025
La première victoire du #TDF2025 revient à 🇧🇪 @JasperPhilipsen ! pic.twitter.com/hmixU35LXT
“This was incredible. I’ll never forget my 10th Tour win because of the amazing performance of my team. We were at the front during a nervous stage, positioned perfectly when the split happened, and finished the job. The fans gave me goosebumps—they gave me that extra power for the sprint,” said 27-year-old Philipsen.
Pogačar finished 18th and Luka Mezgec 26th, both in the winner’s time, along with 20th-placed Vingegaard. Roglič ended 79th (+39s), while Evenepoel was 67th with the same deficit. Matej Mohorič crossed the line 108th, 1:06 behind.
GC After Stage 1
Philipsen leads with 4 seconds over Girmay and 6 seconds over Wærenskjold. Pogačar and Vingegaard sit 10 seconds down, while Roglič and Evenepoel trail by 49 seconds.
“There were at least three danger zones with crosswinds, so we had to stay alert for potential attacks from 30 km to go. The course had many narrow sections and villages, which increased the risk of crashes. The first days are always like this, and tomorrow will be no different,” explained Andrej Hauptman, sports director of Pogačar’s team.
Breakaways, Crashes, and Withdrawals
Early on, Jonas Rutsch, Matis Le Berre, Bruno Armirail, Benjamin Thomas, and Mattéo Vercher broke away and gained over two minutes but were caught after 80 km. Thomas and Vercher tried again but crashed during a KOM battle, allowing the peloton to reel them in. Just when the stage looked calm, the wind caused the decisive split.
The stage saw some early casualties. Time trial specialist Filippo Ganna crashed at km 52 and abandoned due to pain. Swiss rider Stefan Bissegger also withdrew.
What’s Next?
On Sunday, the riders face a challenging 209.1 km stage from Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer, featuring a highly undulating finale that could create more early drama.
