Philipsen Wins Windy Tour de France Opener, Evenepoel Trapped in Breakaway

Jasper Philipsen won the opening stage of the 2025 Tour de France in a thrilling sprint finish in Lille, claiming his tenth career stage victory and the coveted yellow jersey. Philipsen's Alpecin-Deceuninck team executed a perfect strategy amid a nervy and windy race, allowing him to outpace rivals like Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay and Norway’s Soren Waerenskjold. Meanwhile, defending champion Tadej Pogacar and two-time winner Jonas Vingegaard finished safely in the lead group, with Vingegaard's late acceleration causing a split that left contenders Remco Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic trailing by 39 seconds. Evenepoel, considered a strong favorite, admitted his team was caught off guard and was trapped behind in the breakaway, dampening his bid for the overall title. The stage also featured multiple crashes, including time-trial specialists Filippo Ganna and Stefan Bissegger, both forced to abandon. The chaotic conditions and wind-split tactics set a dramatic tone for the race's remaining stages.