Philipsen wins nervy Tour de France opener as Evenepoel loses time
Race favourites Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard both finished safely in the lead pack on a day marred by a series of falls.
Africa's sole rider Biniam Girmay, winner of three stages in 2024, was second on the day as Philipsen got ahead of him with 100m to go.
Around 40 riders in the first group contested the sprint where one of the day's many falls happened.
Primoz Roglic of Red Bull and Team UAE's Joao Almeida were also caught in the surprise split in blustery winds.
Fans packed the route in one of France's more modest regions passing First World War memorials, red-brick houses and slagheaps from long-closed coal mines along the Belgian border.
Racing towards an intermediate sprint over cobbles, escapee Benjamin Thomas slid sideways and took out his sole rival Matteo Vercher in one spectacular fall and the pair were still bickering when the peloton shot past them.
Former time-trial world champion Filippo Ganna was one rider who will take no further part after a clumsy fall on a corner.
The Italian would have been a contender on the lengthy stage 5 individual time-trial, as well as key in the Ineos team's campaign to get veteran Geraint Thomas into the top 10 on his 14th and final Tour de France.
Philipsen, in yellow, will lead the peloton out for Sunday's second stage, a hilly 209km route to the beaches of Boulogne-sur-mer.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
6 hours ago
- France 24
France beat England at Euro 2025 as Miedema completes Dutch century
Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Sandy Baltimore netted within three minutes of each other towards the end of the first half as Les Bleues deservedly defeated England in Zurich. Laurent Bonadei's team are level on three points with leaders the Dutch, who cruised past Wales 3-0 earlier on Saturday, after striking a big blow in the battle to qualify from possibly the hardest group at the tournament. France face underdogs Wales next on Wednesday while England have a huge clash with the Netherlands, again at the Letzigrund Stadium. The French were better all over the pitch, driven by the sparkling wing play of Baltimore and Delphine Cascarino, while Keira Walsh's lovely strike with three minutes remaining made the scoreline flatter unconvincing England. Not even Lauren James' return to the starting XI could inspire England, the Chelsea star way below her best as the Lionesses struggled to put any pressure on France until it was too late. Alessia Russo thought she had given England the lead in the 16th minute when she prodded home on the rebound after Pauline Peyraud-Magnin kept out Lauren Hemp's shot, only for the goal to be ruled out for a razor-thin offside in the build-up. From there, France took the initiative, pushing England back into their own half and dominating possession, and they had a deserved lead through Katoto in the 36th minute when the Lyon forward guided home Cascarino's low cross. And three minutes later Baltimore made the scoreline accurately represent the balance of play with a wonderful individual goal, easily skipping around Lucy Bronze and Leah Williamson before rifling her finish into the top corner. Walsh found the top corner with England's first strike on target and Sarina Wiegman's team almost snatched a point in the dying moments when Selma Bacha cleared Michelle Agyemang's shot off the line and saved the result for France. Miedema's century Vivianne Miedema scored her 100th international goal as the Netherlands swept past Wales to take the initiative in the group. Manchester City striker Miedema opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time in Lucerne with a beautiful curling strike, completing her century of goals for her country. Victoria Pelova and Esmee Brugts netted the other goals after the break to give Wales a rude awakening in their major tournament debut. "They defended really well and I'm glad my goal helped to start it all up," said Miedema. "In the second half, you saw that we can play a bit more, and eventually we also scored two really good goals." Andries Jonker's team are top on goal difference while Wales already have their work cut out to qualify. Rhian Wilkinson's side could easily have been behind before Miedema, who was a doubt for the tournament after suffering a hamstring injury in April, struck, as Jill Roord crashed a rocket of a shot off the post in the 35th minute. Pelova doubled the Oranje's lead two minutes after the break when she rifled home from Danielle van de Donk's pass, and the Arsenal midfielder set up Brugts to make absolutely sure of the points in the 57th minute with a perfect deep cross. © 2025 AFP
France 24
8 hours ago
- France 24
Nine-man PSG beat Bayern to reach Club World Cup semis
The French treble winners had Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez sent off in the final stages but managed to oust the German giants in Atlanta. Bundesliga champions Bayern, who lost Jamal Musiala just before half-time with a horror ankle injury, shared an intense and even battle with the Parisians. Bayern had won their last four matches straight against PSG, including a 1-0 Champions League victory last November, before Luis Enrique's side hit their peak. Players and nearly 67,000 spectators observed a minute of silence in honour of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who tragically died in a car crash on Thursday. It was an emotional moment, especially for a PSG side with five Portuguese players in the squad, including starters Vitinha, Joao Neves and Nuno Mendes. Luis Enrique began with leading Ballon d'Or candidate Dembele on the bench, as he continues his comeback from a quadriceps injury, but Bayern playmaker Musiala was fit to start after a calf issue. It was FIFA's expanded tournament's biggest heavyweight clash thus far and Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said on the eve of the game he would pay to watch a match he described as a "perfect storm", because of the teams' similar high-pressing, attacking styles. The air-conditioned Mercedes-Benz Stadium also produced the perfect conditions for a pulsating game, lit up by supremely talented dribblers on both sides, as well as two elite goalkeepers in Gianluigi Donnarumma and Manuel Neuer. Both sides exchanged early blows as Desire Doue fired narrowly wide and Donnarumma saved Michael Olise's low effort. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia hit the side netting after a razor-sharp PSG counter before Donnarumma produced a fine save at full stretch to tip away another Olise effort. Georgia international Kvaratskhelia forced Neuer into an excellent stop from close range after the effervescent Bradley Barcola floated a ball out to him on the left and the winger surged inside at pace. Donnarumma was called into action as Aleksandar Pavlovic's low cross for Musiala eluded the German and nearly found the bottom corner, but for a swift reaction from the Italian. The goalkeeper could do nothing about Dayot Upamecano's header from Olise's free-kick in first-half stoppage time but the French defender had strayed offside and it was disallowed. England captain Harry Kane also came close for Bayern with a header that flew narrowly off target after fine work by Kingsley Coman. Musiala horror injury Unfortunately Musiala suffered a gruesome ankle injury before half-time as he fell following a collision with Donnarumma, with the goalkeeper appearing distraught in the aftermath. Bayern's 39-year-old stopper Neuer produced a sensational save to deny Barcola early in the second half, as the French winger ran through on goal and tried to bend the ball into the far corner. With 20 minutes remaining, Luis Enrique sent on Dembele to try and make the difference and avoid extra-time, which neither side needed at the end of a gruelling season. Dembele came inches from doing just that when Neuer gave the ball away outside his area and the Frenchman lunged to try and roll into the empty net, but it trickled just wide of the post. Eventually 20-year-old Doue found the breakthrough as Kane gave the ball away and PSG attacked in numbers. Doue, who burst into the limelight in PSG's run to Champions League glory, worked some space on the edge of the box and flashed a low strike home at the near post. Bayern were given hope as they hunted for an equaliser when PSG defender Pacho was sent off for a high tackle on Leon Goretzka after 83 minutes. Kane headed home from an offside position before PSG substitute Hernandez was dismissed for an elbow. Dembele hit the crossbar on the break as Luis Enrique's side clung on before sealing their victory through the French forward, who tucked home after Achraf Hakimi's run through and paid tribute to Jota by copying his video-gaming celebration. © 2025 AFP
France 24
9 hours ago
- France 24
Nine-man PSG beat Bayern to reach Club World Cup semi-finals
Paris Saint-Germain reached the Club World Cup semi-finals as Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele goals earned the nine-man European champions a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in a gripping battle on Saturday. The French treble winners had Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez sent off in the final stages but managed to oust the German giants in Atlanta. Bundesliga champions Bayern, who lost Jamal Musiala just before half-time with a horror ankle injury, shared an intense and even battle with the Parisians. Bayern had won their last four matches straight against PSG, including a 1-0 Champions League victory last November, before Luis Enrique's side hit their peak. Players and nearly 67,000 spectators observed a minute of silence in honour of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who tragically died in a car crash on Thursday. It was an emotional moment, especially for a PSG side with five Portuguese players in the squad, including starters Vitinha, Joao Neves and Nuno Mendes. Luis Enrique began with leading Ballon d'Or candidate Dembele on the bench, as he continues his comeback from a quadriceps injury, but Bayern playmaker Musiala was fit to start after a calf issue. It was FIFA 's expanded tournament's biggest heavyweight clash thus far and Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said on the eve of the game he would pay to watch a match he described as a "perfect storm", because of the teams' similar high-pressing, attacking styles. The air-conditioned Mercedes-Benz Stadium also produced the perfect conditions for a pulsating game, lit up by supremely talented dribblers on both sides, as well as two elite goalkeepers in Gianluigi Donnarumma and Manuel Neuer. Both sides exchanged early blows as Desire Doue fired narrowly wide and Donnarumma saved Michael Olise's low effort. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia hit the side netting after a razor-sharp PSG counter before Donnarumma produced a fine save at full stretch to tip away another Olise effort. Georgia international Kvaratskhelia forced Neuer into an excellent stop from close range after the effervescent Bradley Barcola floated a ball out to him on the left and the winger surged inside at pace. Donnarumma was called into action as Aleksandar Pavlovic's low cross for Musiala eluded the German and nearly found the bottom corner, but for a swift reaction from the Italian. The goalkeeper could do nothing about Dayot Upamecano's header from Olise's free-kick in first-half stoppage time but the French defender had strayed offside and it was disallowed. England captain Harry Kane also came close for Bayern with a header that flew narrowly off target after fine work by Kingsley Coman. Musiala horror injury Unfortunately Musiala suffered a gruesome ankle injury before half-time as he fell following a collision with Donnarumma, with the goalkeeper appearing distraught in the aftermath. Bayern's 39-year-old stopper Neuer produced a sensational save to deny Barcola early in the second half, as the French winger ran through on goal and tried to bend the ball into the far corner. With 20 minutes remaining, Luis Enrique sent on Dembele to try and make the difference and avoid extra-time, which neither side needed at the end of a gruelling season. Dembele came inches from doing just that when Neuer gave the ball away outside his area and the Frenchman lunged to try and roll into the empty net, but it trickled just wide of the post. Eventually 20-year-old Doue found the breakthrough as Kane gave the ball away and PSG attacked in numbers. Doue, who burst into the limelight in PSG's run to Champions League glory, worked some space on the edge of the box and flashed a low strike home at the near post. Bayern were given hope as they hunted for an equaliser when PSG defender Pacho was sent off for a high tackle on Leon Goretzka after 83 minutes. Kane headed home from an offside position before PSG substitute Hernandez was dismissed for an elbow. Dembele hit the crossbar on the break as Luis Enrique's side clung on before sealing their victory through the French forward, who tucked home after Achraf Hakimi's run through and paid tribute to Jota by copying his video-gaming celebration. PSG will face Real Madrid
