“We certainly shouldn’t panic”: Jasper Philipsen looks to bounce back after being left completely spent in chaotic Pau sprint

The first big bunch sprint of the Tour de France ended with a wild finish in Pau, as Dutchman Olav Kooij took his very first Tour stage win, beating out a fast-moving field. German sprinter Max Kanter managed to secure a strong second place after his team protected him from the hot weather all day. Meanwhile, one of the top favorites, Jasper Philipsen, had a difficult day, getting stuck behind other riders and finishing back in fifth place.

Kanter credited his XDS Astana teammates for putting him in the perfect position throughout a demanding day raced in intense heat, although he admitted second place still left a bitter taste.

"The team did an incredible job throughout the day. They did everything to make it easier for me, refilling my water bottles every time and trying to keep me cool," Kanter said.

As the race approached its hectic finale, the team had to abandon its original plan and improvise. "As we approached the finale, we tried to stay calm without getting caught out. I think we managed that pretty well."

"Afterwards, it clearly wasn't easy. We had an initial plan, but we had to adapt it a bit in the final moments because it was very disjointed. Everyone wanted to fight at the front because of the numerous roadworks."

Despite finishing on the podium for the first time at the Tour, Kanter couldn't hide his frustration at coming so close to victory. "In the end, I think we did well. It's certainly not a bad result, but it's always a slightly bitter feeling when you finish second."

Jasper Philipsen and his Alpecin-Premier Tech team usually have one of the best setups for fast finishes, but things didn't go as planned in the final kilometers. The top sprinters got trapped in the crowd, and Philipsen had to try to come from far behind. He did not have his usual speed and honestly admitted after the stage that he was just too tired to sprint well. “I was completely spent. It wasn’t a good sprint.”

Philipsen found himself riding all alone without his teammates during the final kilometer of the race. Even though he finished in fifth place, he refused to blame the team's helpers for the bad result. “It was very difficult and hectic. I quickly felt that I didn’t have much left. I was at my limit. The pace was very high, but I just didn’t have the legs.”

Many fans were surprised to see the Belgian sprinter struggle, since he has already won ten stages at the Tour de France in his career. When asked why he could not sprint at his best level today, Philipsen admitted that his body did not feel completely right. “That also has to do with the fact that I wasn’t 100 percent. I just didn’t have the speed or the legs.”

Even though today was a big disappointment, Philipsen is not ready to give up. The riders have to face a very hard mountain stage on Thursday, but more flat sprint days are coming up on Friday and Saturday. He believes there are still plenty of chances left to get a victory. “The Tour is still a long way from over. We certainly shouldn’t panic.”