Jasper Philipsen emerged victorious in a thrilling sprint finish, securing the 13th stage of the Tour de France. This marks Philipsen’s second stage win this month, further solidifying his presence in the race. The finish was marred by a crash involving several riders just a few hundred meters from the line, however, two-time champion Tadej Pogacar, who was just ahead of the incident, managed to avoid it unscathed. Philipsen, holding off his Belgian compatriot Wout van Aert and German rider Pascal Ackermann, claimed the stage after a grueling 3 1/2 hours.
Despite the near miss, Pogacar maintained his position at the top of the overall standings, holding the coveted yellow jersey. He currently leads by a significant margin of 1 minute, 6 seconds over Remco Evenepoel of Belgium and by 1:14 over two-time defending champion Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark. The flat stage provided a valuable opportunity for sprinters to gain points in the green jersey contest. The riders covered a distance of 165 kilometers (103 miles) from Agen to the southwestern city of Pau, situated at the northern edge of the Pyrenees mountains.
Biniam Girmay of Eritrea, who has already secured three stage wins, finished fourth, maintaining his hold on the green jersey. Prior to the stage, Primoz Roglic, the 2020 runner-up to fellow Slovenian Pogacar, withdrew from the race following a crash the previous day. The atmosphere leading up to the start was electric, with fans displaying their enthusiasm for Pogacar, one even holding a sign that read “Allez Paugacar!” a playful combination of the city and the rider’s name.
Early in the race, a four-rider breakaway group consisting of Julien Bernard, Romain Gregoire, Michal Kwiatkowski, and Magnus Cort led the peloton through the rolling countryside before being caught approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the finish. Two minor climbs, Côte de Blachon and Côte de Simacourbe, followed shortly after. Richard Carapaz of Ecuador and Tobias Johannessen of Norway attempted an attack on the second climb but were eventually caught with 21 kilometers (13 miles) remaining. The pace remained intense throughout the stage, with Pogacar surprisingly near the front of the peloton, putting himself at unnecessary risk of being caught in the crash that sent at least four riders into the crash barriers.
The Tour de France now heads into the mountains, with the 14th stage starting from Pau and featuring two challenging climbs on a 152-kilometer (99-mile) route to Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d’Adet. The riders will face the daunting 19-kilometer (12-mile) climb up the Col du Tourmalet, one of the race’s most renowned Pyrenean climbs, followed by a shorter but steeper climb to the finish line. The stage promises exciting tactical maneuvers and a potential for a dramatic attack from Pogacar, who will undoubtedly look to challenge Vingegaard, who just outpaced him in Stage 11 on Wednesday. The mountainous terrain sets the stage for intense competition and a thrilling battle for the overall lead.
