“It could have ended differently and worse” – Philipsen narrowly escapes terrible crash in Baloise Belgium Tour

Jasper Philipsen came dangerously close to crashing on the opening day of the Baloise Belgium Tour, salvaging his ride with quick reflexes after clipping the rear wheel of Jason Tesson in the final sprint. While Tim Merlier powered to an emphatic victory and underlined his form just weeks before the Tour de France, Philipsen’s near miss became one of the defining moments of the stage.

The Alpecin–Deceuninck sprinter avoided disaster after a sharp jolt nearly launched him over his handlebars. “We were doing well, but in the penultimate corner we lost some positions, which meant I had to start my sprint from a bit further away,” he told Het Laatste Nieuws. “Of course I would have liked to be on Tim’s wheel to start the sprint, but unfortunately someone got in between.”

Despite the late scramble, Philipsen remained composed and finished safely. “I felt fine and I thought I could definitely get a good result. Until I made a wrong assessment and got stuck behind Jason Tesson's wheel. Too bad, but luckily I stayed upright. It could have ended differently and worse. On to Thursday's stage for a new chance.”

With the Tour de France looming, the stage offered a glimpse into the fierce sprint rivalry building for July. Merlier, who has now emerged as perhaps the fastest man in the peloton, will be joined by Philipsen, Biniam Girmay, and Jonathan Milan as leading contenders for stage wins, and the coveted green jersey.

Philipsen, who wore that jersey in 2023, is determined to reclaim it from Girmay, who outperformed him last year in one of the most competitive points classification battles in recent Tour history.

The 2025 edition begins with a flat stage that could immediately hand a sprinter the yellow jersey, something rare in recent editions and a goal several top fast men have circled. For Philipsen, who came within inches of disaster in Belgium, the countdown to redemption begins now.