Jasper Philipsen wins the tour opener in Lille and wears yellow!

Jasper Philipsen wins the tour opener in Lille and wears yellow!

Today, July 5, 2025, cycling fans can sit up and take notice: Jasper Philipsen has won the opening stage of the 112th Tour de France in Lille. The 27-year-old Belgian sprinter, who drives for the Alpecin–Deceuninck team, is the first to secure the coveted yellow jersey. This is not only another highlight of his career, but also his tenth Tour de France stage win overall Radio Herford reported.

The stage was a remarkable 184.9 kilometers long, starting and ending in Lille. Philipsen successfully prevailed against strong competitors such as Biniam Girmay from Eritrea and Sören Werdenskjold from Norway. While the German sprinters Pascal Ackermann and Phil Bauhaus came away empty-handed in this stage, the debutant Marius Mayrhofer was able to take a promising ninth place. Florian Lipowitz, only 24 years old, had a small setback due to a flat tire, but quickly returned to the peloton and had to fight his way back for about 40 seconds to catch up.

On to new challenges

The longest stage of the tour with 209.1 kilometers between Lauwin-Planque and Boulogne-sur-Mer is on the program on the second day of the race. Here, numerous outliers and classics experts, including the well-known Mathieu van der Poel, are hoping for the day's victory. Philipsen, who has already achieved a number of victories in his career, is considered one of the best sprinters of his generation and has made a name for himself that has seen him compared to the likes of Tom Boonen. But too much pressure is not a problem for Philipsen. He proved himself in today's stage and shows that he has what it takes to continue to shine as the Tour progresses.

After his impressive performance in Lille, the focus of many cycling fans will now be on Philipsen and his chances as this prestigious event progresses. The Tour de France is not only a challenge for Dutch and Belgian riders, but also an opportunity to compete with the best athletes in the world. Philipsen will have to prove his skills and stamina.

A look at the successes

Jasper Philipsen, born on March 2, 1998, is a promising racing driver who has already won numerous titles and victories on the international stage. In addition to his ten stage victories in the Tour de France, he also won the points classification of the 2023 Tour and celebrated successes in the Vuelta a España. His career began with the Royal Balen BC Team in 2010, and since then he has reached many heights with constant training and talent. In addition to numerous stage victories, Philipsen has also repeatedly distinguished himself in the points classification.

The enthusiasm for our German sprinters is fueled by the successes of the last few years, even if today did not bring the hoped-for results for everyone. A lot of attention will be focused on the next few days of the Tour in particular and now it's up to the riders to do their best to make their fans proud. Over the years, many German drivers, such as Tony Martin and Marcel Kittel, achieved placings that have become legends. And now we are eagerly waiting to see what Philipsen and Co. have to offer for the challenges ahead.