The Belgian is also certain to win the green jersey if nothing out of the ordinary happens. The Tour has gathered an incredibly luxurious startlist of fast men but besides Philipsen only Mads Pedersen struck gold. The likes of Mark Cavendish and Fabio Jakobsen have left the race with crashes, whilst others have been left scrambling for minor results.
“It’s not frustrating that Philipsen wins - it’s frustrating that we didn’t contest for the sprint. Jasper has now won four out of four, which is nice for him, but I’m more concerned about ourselves,"
Michael Morkov, who was assisting Fabio Jakobsen - who has in the meantime abandoned the race - said. “I believe he can be beaten. He was beaten before. But as we see sometimes with a sprinter who is on a roll and has the confidence, he becomes even stronger.”