Chaotic third stage of Tour de France sees Jasper Philipsen crash out

Telegraph

07-07-2025

This year's Tour de France is only three days old but already the body count is racking up. Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers), one of the strongest time trial riders in the world and one of the favourites for Wednesday's time trial in Caen, was forced to abandon on the opening stage. And there would have been a sharp collective intake of breath when huge names Evenepoel and Thomas were among the riders to go down in one of three separate incidents in the final 5km.
Evenepoel, who finished third last year, crossed the line smiling, but was holding his ribs gingerly. 'He should be OK,' the Belgian's team said later.
There was no immediate news from Ineos on Thomas's health. The 2018 Tour de France winner, 39, is planning to retire later this year.
Philipsen would certainly have expected to contest the stage which was eventually won by Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) who pipped Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) on the line in a photo finish. And it prompted a few harsh words. One of Philipsen's Alpecin team-mates could be seen remonstrating with Coquard in a slow-motion replay. Coquard was tearful afterwards.
'I really want to apologise to Jasper Philipsen and the Alpecin-Deceuninck team – even though it wasn't deliberate. I'm not... I'm not a reckless rider, but still, it's never pleasant,' the Frenchman said.
'Bad things happen'
However, Alpecin general manager Philip Roodhooft refused to criticise Coquard .
'Jasper is the victim of something where he's totally not involved in, that's clear,' Roodhooft said. 'To be honest, the two others, they collide and they crash but I think it's not about blaming – it's just a stupid crash. These things can happen and the consequences for us as a team and, above all, for Jasper are very bad, but what can you say? I think bad things happen sometimes.'
The Alpecin team retained the yellow jersey with Mathieu Van der Poel leading race favourite Tadej Pogacar by four seconds and Jonas Vingegaard by six seconds. All three finished safely in the main pack.
Meanwhile, Britain's Anna Henderson, who took silver in the time trial in Paris last summer, won the second stage of the Women's Giro d'Italia to claim the pink leader's jersey. Henderson won an uphill sprint finish after she and French rider Dilyxine Miermont broke away from the main peloton with 41.4km to go of the 92km stage through the Alps.
'As a team, we made the plan to be aggressive because we knew it would be a hard final and we have a really good team for attacking,' said Henderson. 'We're here for stages, this is what we came to do, and I'm so thankful for my team-mates for supporting me. 'I'm just beyond grateful and happy, I can't believe it. It's my first World Tour victory, my first individual Grand Tour victory. I'm in shock.'