No Mathieu ver der Poel, not problem.
Until today’s sprint into Moulin, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) has relied on the all-world strength and imposing size of Van der Poel.
If there’s a gap, Van der Poel powers through it, if there isn’t space, he creates it. He’s the not-so-secret weapon and nobody else has a one-man lead-out like him.
However, Philipsen demonstrated today that he’s not only the fastest man on two wheels in this Tour, he also doesn’t even need a train. “Hey, Mathieu, take a day off, buddy. I got this.”
After taking three of the first four sprint stages, today he showed his talent for surfing wheels and trusting his instincts. When Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla) went a bit early, Philipsen rode that slipstream, then annihilated him in the final 150 meters. Did you see Dylan’s grimace of defeat at the finish line?
So much for the indispensability of Mathieu van der Poel. “I can also win without him, but of course, he makes it more easy,” said Philipsen. “I had to find my wheel a little bit, and it’s also finding the space, and it’s hectic and dangerous for crashing, but I’m happy I could find a good wheel
This was a stage with an opportunity for all the sprinters but it appears that Philipsen has dented their confidence. Caleb Ewan (Lotto Dstny) was 15th and Fabio Jakobsen (Soudal-Quick-Step) whose team had done the most work all day, finished in 16th. We get the feeling guys are a little desperate and unsure about their tactics.
On the other hand, Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) did well in fourth and the soon-to-be-retired Peter Sagan (TotalEnergies) managed eight place. (Can he do a wheelie across the line or is that asking too much for a goodbye?) And let’s say chapeau for old man Alexander Kristoff who fired up the big diesel engine for sixth. Somehow he chugs along but it’s a really fast chug — weird.
Philipsen is in the zone and nobody else has come near him. “It’s been an incredible Tour so far. I can’t realize how good it is all going, so, I’m super proud and really happy with my shape, and also to get through the final without problems is also a big challenge,” said Philipsen. “I’m super happy.”
He is now so dominant that he’s changed nicknames, from Jasper the Disaster to Jasper the Master. That’s what four Tour de France wins will do for a man.
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