Philipsen secures stage 17 victory in Tour de France, eyes green jersey
Jasper Philipsen, a 28-year-old Belgian rider for Alpecin-Premier Tech, achieved his 11th career Tour de France stage victory on Wednesday, stage 17 of the race. This win came after a period of high expectations for Philipsen to secure a stage win in the 2026 Tour.
Philipsen has consistently performed well in previous Tours, securing at least one stage win each year since 2022, with a high of four victories in 2023. In 2025, he claimed one stage win, but a crash on stage 3 prevented further opportunities. Despite his past successes, a victory had eluded him in the 2026 race until stage 17.
Overcoming Pressure and Team Support
The Belgian rider acknowledged the significant pressure he felt to deliver a win for his team. He described the difficulty of managing these expectations, especially with Alpecin-Premier Tech focusing solely on stage wins in the absence of a general classification (GC) rider. His teammate, Mathieu van der Poel, had already secured a stage victory on stage 9, which intensified the focus on Philipsen.
Philipsen explained that he tried to disengage from cycling-related content outside of racing to cope with the pressure. He emphasized the importance of his team’s support, particularly from Van der Poel, who played a crucial role in his stage 17 win. Van der Poel’s lead-out in the final kilometers was instrumental in Philipsen’s success, a contribution Philipsen noted as vital in many of his stage victories.
Stage 17 was a challenging and tactically complex race through the Alpine foothills. The route was hilly and technical, leading to a day-long battle involving various breakaway attempts. Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek, who holds the green jersey, was part of a late five-rider move. Philipsen, with the assistance of three Alpecin-Premier Tech teammates—Van der Poel, Emiel Verstrynge, and Edward Planckaert—launched a counter-charge that eventually caught Pedersen’s group and then lone breakaway rider Jasper Stuyven (Soudal-QuickStep) with three kilometers remaining. This set up a small bunch sprint where Philipsen secured his win.
Green Jersey Ambitions and Upcoming Stages
Following his stage 17 victory, Philipsen has narrowed the gap to Pedersen in the points competition. He stated that he is not ruling out a late bid to reclaim the green jersey in Paris, an honor he held in 2023. However, he acknowledged the challenge, noting that Pedersen had gained points in an intermediate sprint earlier in the stage and that the upcoming three mountain stages would be difficult for him to score points.
The Tour de France is now heading into a series of demanding mountain stages. Stage 18, covering 185.2 kilometers from Voiron to Orcieres-Merlette, is anticipated to be a day for breakaway specialists. The stage begins with a flat section before riders encounter the Côte d’Engins, an 11.4-kilometer climb at a 5.4% gradient. The route then features rolling climbs throughout the day, avoiding major ascents within the Alps, and concludes with a 7.1-kilometer climb at 6.7% to Orcieres-Merlette.
Stages 19 and 20 are expected to be particularly brutal, both concluding on Alpe d’Huez. Stage 19, a 127.9-kilometer route from Gap to Alpe d’Huez, includes an uphill start with the Col Bayard and Col du Noyer in the opening 25 kilometers. The final week of the Tour will continue to test riders with these significant mountain challenges.
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Source: cyclinguptodate.com
