In a heart-pounding finale to Stage 13 of the Tour de France, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) surged ahead in a chaotic sprint to claim his second stage win of this year's race. The Belgian powerhouse timed his move perfectly, leaving rivals in his wake on the flat 165.3km route from Agen to Pau.
Pogačar Holds Firm as Vingegaard Tests Limits
While the sprinters dominated the day's narrative, the battle for general classification saw another intriguing chapter unfold. Defending champion Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) comfortably retained his yellow jersey, but not without facing a spirited challenge from Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike). The Danish rider launched a surprise attack on the day's sole categorised climb, briefly putting Pogačar under pressure before the Slovenian champion calmly reeled him back in.
Sprint Drama Unfolds in Pau
The final kilometres delivered edge-of-the-seat action as teams jostled for position. Philipsen, who had endured a difficult middle week of the Tour, proved his enduring class by outpacing Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) and Pascal Ackermann (Israel-Premier Tech) in the closing metres.
"After some tough days, this victory tastes extra sweet," an emotional Philipsen said at the finish. "My team delivered me perfectly to the line - this is why we race."
What This Means for the Overall Standings
The stage result leaves the general classification largely unchanged:
- Tadej Pogačar maintains a 1'06" lead over Remco Evenepoel
- Jonas Vingegaard sits third at 1'14"
- Primož Roglič remains fourth at 2'45"
With two punishing Pyrenean stages to come this weekend, the Tour is set for potentially decisive battles in the high mountains.
