“It could have ended differently and worse” – Philipsen narrowly escapes terrible crash in Baloise Belgium Tour
Cycling
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.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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