The Tour de France Has Kicked Off in a BANG! 🚴♂️

GC Favourites: What We’re Seeing

The general classification battle is already heating up. After Stage 3:

• Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin‑Deceuninck) leads with a 4‑second advantage over Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), while Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease‑a‑Bike) sits just 2 seconds further back in third 

• Remco Evenepoel, despite a crash in Stage 3, has stayed close in the pack—showing resilience and no loss of GC hope 

• Tadej Pogačar, hunting a fourth Tour win, and Vingegaard, the two-time champion, are both positioned well and looking sharp in the early days.

Remco Evenepoel, Tadej Pogačar & Jonas Vingegaard

• Evenepoel escaped major time loss Today. Despite Stage 3 crash, he crossed the line with the peloton; his form remains solid.

• Pogačar has stayed within striking distance—finished 4 seconds off the lead—riding smoothly in the bunch.

• Vingegaard trails by just 6 seconds, craftily riding to stay in contention. All three are smartly conserving energy while probing each other early in the race.

Sprint Legends of This Tour

• Mathieu Van Der Poel doubled up stage wins and now dons the yellow jersey—but he’s more than just a classics powerhouse.

• Jasper Philipsen impressed on Stage 1 with a win and the yellow, then was runner-up in Stage 2—but tragically crashed out in Stage 3.

• Tim Merlier came up big in Stage 3, taking the sprint win and now wearing the green jersey.

• Also watch out for Jonathan Milan, Phil Bauhaus, and the always-dangerous Pascal Ackermann—sprinters with punch and chaos-upside.
  

Stages 

Stage 1 – Lille (185 km)

A crosswind-affected first stage that saw GC men shaken up early. Philipsen sprinted to victory and grabbed yellow, aided by Van der Poel’s lead‑out. Pogačar and Vingegaard finished safely. But the real story? Remco Evenepoel dropped 39 seconds, caught out in the echelons, along with Primož Roglič 

Stage 2 – Lauwin‑Planque → Boulogne‑sur‑Mer (209 km)

A rolling parcours, steamy weather, and tabletopping climbs set the stage. Van der Poel launched a stunning uphill sprint, beating Pogačar and Vingegaard to win and take yellow—even bumping Philipsen to 31 seconds back Energy-sapping but brilliant for the GC hopefuls.

Stage 3 – Valenciennes → Dunkirk (178 km)

A classic flat sprinter stage…but chaos erupted in the intermediate sprint. Jasper Philipsen crashed heavily, fracturing his collarbone and ribs—and was forced to abandon the Tour  Van Der Poel held on to the overall lead. Tim Merlier edged out Jonathan Milan in a tight photo finish to take the win and green jersey . Windy, sticky, and unpredictable.

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Jasper Philipsen’s Tour Ending Crash

Just days after a thrilling Stage 1 win and wearing yellow, Philipsen’s journey was cut short. At around 60 km/h in Stage 3’s intermediate sprint, Bryan Coquard’s wheel clipped him—he hit the pavement hard and suffered a displaced collarbone fracture and broken ribs. It ended his Tour and his hopes for green—leaving a heavy void in the sprint scene 

 

🔴 Injuries

• Displaced collarbone fracture – The main injury that forced his withdrawal.

• Two broken ribs – Making recovery and breathing painful, especially for a cyclist.

• Extensive road rash and bruising – Common in high-speed crashes but added to his discomfort.

• Philipsen was visibly in pain and dazed, treated immediately on-site before being taken to hospital.

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🟡 Tour Abandonment

• Philipsen was forced to abandon the race immediately after the crash, marking a heartbreaking end to his 2025 Tour.

• He had won Stage 1, worn the yellow jersey, and was leading the points classification (green jersey) until the crash.

• His withdrawal handed the green jersey to Tim Merlier, who also won Stage 3.

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🔁 Impact on Alpecin–Deceuninck Team

• Philipsen was the team’s primary sprinter and green jersey hopeful. His crash significantly weakens their sprint chances.

• While Mathieu van der Poel is still in yellow and strong, the team has lost a major goal and asset for flat stages.

Looking Ahead

• GC battle: An incredibly tight fight awaits. Van der Poel, Pogačar, Vingegaard, and Evenepoel—all within 10 seconds. The upcoming hills and time trials will be decisive.

• Sprint stakes: With Philipsen gone, Tim Merlier and Jonathan Milan will feast at pure sprint stages. Keep an eye on them.

• Key stages: Stage 4’s hilly finale might shake things up—wind, climbs, GC tension, and momentum swings loom.

Grab your helmet and Louis d’Or—these first three stages wrapped in drama and strategy already have the peloton buzzing. Stay tuned for more fireworks!