Jasper Philipsen strikes in first bunch sprint of 2023 Tour de France

After two frenetically-paced opening stages On the 2023 Tour de France’s final day in the Basque Country of Spain, with a finish in Bayonne, France. It was his career Tour stage hat trick. Adam Yates stayed secure in yellow. Hugo Houle was the top Canadian at 20th, his teammate and compatriot Guillaume Boivin 22nd.

Already GC Troubles for Some

Monday was a day to breathe after wild and wooly action over the first two stages, the GC men getting stuck straight in. There are 21 riders within 1:41 of Adam Yates, which means that the winner, the podium fellows and the top-5 are all within those 22. Several fellows have missed out.

Enric Mas and Richard Carapaz had to abandon with crash injuries. Ben O’Connor, fourth in 2021, is +1:41. Alexey Lutsenko, seventh and eighth over the last two editions, is +18:00. Dani Martinez is the prong that broke off the Ineos Trident, as he is +10:23. Thibaut Pinot might as well shift his gaze to the King of the Mountains as he is +2:47.

Monday’s Course

The 198 km route was front loaded with climbs–three Cat. 3s and a Cat. 4. There were some ripples in the latter half, but this wouldn’t prevent a bunch sprint.

A late start for stage 3 of the #TDF2023, which takes the peloton from Amorebieta-Etxano to Bayonne, in France. pic.twitter.com/QyC7fwVmXC

— Soudal Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (@soudalquickstep) July 3, 2023

Only two riders bothered to go out in a breakaway: Neilson Powless was looking for more KOM points and Arkea-Samsic’s Laurent Pichon was along as the official Frenchman. With the race ambling along between Climbs 2 and 3, Sunday’s victor Victor Lafay bolted from the peloton in an attempt to bridge. It was all for naught, and Powless sopped up the maximum mountains points on the remaining climbs. He leads Tadej Pogačar by 11 points.

Powless went back to the peloton, leaving Pichon to soak up the cheers. He was getting great support from his team.

I need Arkea Samsic DS to cheer me up every day. pic.twitter.com/MGhuCy8b85

— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) July 3, 2023

Pinchon finally submitted to the will of the peloton with 37 km to go, and Wout Van Aert’s Jumbo-Visma, Fabio Jakobsen’s Soudal-QuickStep, Philipsen’s Alpecin-Deceuninck and Mads Pedersen’s Lidl-Trek began to muster their forces as the finish town of Bayonne loomed.

Philipsen received a strong lead-out including Mathieu van der Poel going under the kite. He tore around Van Aert, stayed along the right side barriers and had the legs to stay ahead of Phil Bauhaus and Caleb Ewan. Van Aert was fifth and Mark Cavendish sixth.

Stage 4, the first full day in France, is even better suited to a bunch sprint.

2023 Tour de France Stage 3
1) Jasper Philipsen (Belgium/Alpecin-Deceuninck) 4:43:15
2) Phil Bauhaus (Germany/Bahrain-Victorious) s.t.
3) Caleb Ewan (Australia/Lotto-Dstny) s.t.
20) Hugo Houle (Canada/Israel-Premier Tech) s.t.
22) Guillaume Boivin (Canada/Israel-Premier Tech) s.t.
33) Michael Woods (Canada/Israel-Premier Tech) s.t.

2023 Tour de France GC
1) Adam Yates (Great Britain/UAE-Emirates) 13:52:33
2) Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia/UAE-Emirates) +0:06
3) Simon Yates (Great Britain/Jayco-AlUla) s.t.
7) Michael Woods (Canada/Israel-Premier Tech) +0:22
71) Hugo Houle (Canada/Israel-Premier Tech) +16:52
112) Guillaume Boivin (Canada/Israel-Premier Tech) +28:13