Belgian Jasper Philipsen emerged victorious in a thrilling mass sprint on stage 10 of the Tour de France, beating out Eritrean Biniam Girmay to claim the win. The flat 187.3km ride south from Orleans saw Philipsen, guided by teammate and world road race champion Mathieu van der Poel, reach a blistering speed of 75km/h (46.6 mph) in his sprint to the finish line.
With Wednesday’s stage promising to be potentially explosive, Tadej Pogacar managed to protect his 33-second overall lead over Remco Evenepoel. Jonas Vingegaard, the defending champion, sits in third place at 1min 15sec behind Pogacar. The battle for the yellow jersey remains tense and unpredictable, with no clear favorite emerging from the so-called Fab Four of Pogacar, Evenepoel, Vingegaard, and Primoz Roglic.
Pogacar, in his bid to achieve a Giro d’Italia-Tour double, may have hoped to be further ahead given his considerable efforts. However, Evenepoel appears fresh and calm, radiating a happier vibe than his rivals. Vingegaard, demonstrating his growing form, is relentlessly trailing Pogacar, but his early deficit of 1min 15sec poses a challenge. Meanwhile, Roglic, Pogacar’s compatriot, is making a strong run in fourth place at 1min 36sec, strategically preparing for a powerful week three performance.
The stage, characterized by its flat terrain and relaxed pace, provided some lighthearted moments. British rider Tom Pidcock was spotted unwrapping a sandwich from silver foil, while Pavel Sivakov took advantage of an open camping car door to launch his water bottle through it. Despite the relaxed atmosphere, the battle for the overall title remains fiercely contested.
Any hopes of a record-extending 36th stage win for Mark Cavendish were dashed when he lost his sprint train on a tight corner in the final kilometer. At the same finish line on stage 13 of the 2013 Tour, Cavendish, now 39 years old, managed to cross an echelon in strong winds, but on Tuesday he found himself outside the chase at the finale.
Wednesday’s 211km ride continues south, taking riders through dormant volcanic mountains and a series of challenging climbs to the west of Clermont. The stage is set for an intense battle, with the riders facing a demanding test as they continue their journey through the French countryside.
