Published July 10, 2026 02:41PM
Jasper Philipsen took a leaf out of Mark Cavendish’s book on Friday, but not in terms of taking a Tour de France stage win.
Back in 2010 the Briton finished 12th on stage 4 of the Tour, and subsequently hurled his helmet out of the team bus with a roar of frustration.
Philipsen did the same thing Friday, chucking his headgear in anger over his fifth place into Bordeaux.
The Belgian previously won into the city in 2023, coincidentally beating Cavendish to do so. This time around he appeared to be way off the pace.
Things looked very promising inside the final kilometer with his Alpecin-PremierTech team setting him up very close to the front and Mathieu van der Poel then giving him a blistering leadout.
The timing may have been slightly off, though, with Philipsen launching his sprint with about 240 meters to go.
But while that was almost certainly too far out, it wasn’t a case that he faded just before the line. Instead he was almost immediately passed by Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Mobility), with Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) in turn whipping by the Norwegian and winning the stage.
Philipsen faded and was also overtaken by two others, Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling Team) and Max Kanter (XDS Astana Team).
It was a curiously muted performance by the ten-time Tour stage winner, who won the points classification three years ago and has 63 career victories.
‘There are frustrations’
Jasper Philipsen is hoping to take at least one stage win, but hopefully more than that (Photo: David Pintens / Belga Mag via AFP)
Philipsen is just 28 and so age is not an issue. Indeed Merlier is 33, five years older, but was clearly a step above him today.
That’s hard to take for the Alpecin leader, who came into the Tour with five wins to his credit this year, plus bucket loads of ambition.
“I think I can’t be mad at myself. I just can’t do anymore what I could, and that just wasn’t enough today,” he told journalists after the stage.
He accepted that’s why he treated his helmet as a frisbee.
“Of course, the frustration after the race, of course trying to win,” he said. “Yes, there are frustrations, but that’s kind of part of the sport and we try to win. If I don’t reach my level, well, of course, that’s not fun.”
Philipsen desperately wants to get back to his best in the Tour. Of those ten stage wins, his best year was 2023 when he clocked up four stages, more than anyone else in the race.
He led the green jersey competition from stage 4 all the way to the end of the race and ended up with over 100 points more than the next rider, Mads Pedersen.
He was clearly, unquestionably, the sprinter of the moment.
Since then his haul has dropped, with three stage wins in 2024 and just one last year. He was forced to leave the race 12 months ago due to a collarbone fracture, and getting back up to multiple stage wins—and ideally winning another green jersey—are important goals for this July.
“What I find the most frustrating of course is the team did everything perfectly. I knew the position well enough to start my sprint and I just couldn’t start it,” he said. “There simply wasn’t enough speed….I just didn’t really feel the explosiveness in the last 250 meters.”
Time yet to come good, but the pressure is on
Fifth on stage seven wasn’t what Philipsen was aiming for, but the speed wasn’t there (Photo: Gruber Images)
The Tour continues Friday with another sprint opportunity; the race to Bergerac appears perfectly suited to another bunch finish.
Stage 11 to Nevers also looks promising, as do stages 12, stage 17 and, of course, the final stage to Paris. There may be another one or two opportunities along the way, depending on whether or not the sprinters handle tougher terrain.
Alpecin-Premier Tech team manager Philip Roodhooft has given a clear show of support to his rider, fully believing he can come good.
“It would be very bad if we said after two sprints that the confidence is gone,” he said after the stage, according to HLN.be.
“Jasper has already won ten stages in the Tour in his career. He won at least one stage in each of the past four Tours. Why would we suddenly hesitate?”
Philipsen, too, isn’t throwing in the towel.
“The Tour is still long. Of course I try to take every chance as best as possible and, of course, I also hope for a better feeling. But I just have to accept what the situation is at the moment.
“And yes, there are obviously still a number of chances. Hopefully we can take advantage of those with better legs.”
He and his team will be hoping it will be champagne corks flying next time rather than his helmet.