Unlike Rickaert, Armstrong and Wiggins don’t put the blame on Coquard for Philipsen's crash: "He might even apologize today"

For Jonas Rickaert, however, it was clear who caused his sprinter’s crash. “I called him out and was angry. I wanted answers because this isn’t the first time he does something like this in an intermediate sprint. Sprinting at the finish is one thing – then it’s for the win. But risking your life for ten points is just crazy, especially when he’s going to finish sixth or so in that classification anyway,” the Belgian said afterward.

Hincapie, however, disagrees. “I can’t blame to Coquard as the guilty one here,” the former rider said on the THEMOVE podcast. “Everything went wrong in that crash. Coquard moved slightly right while Laurenz Rex leaned into him. It was a miracle Coquard didn’t hit the tarmac himself. Unfortunately, Philipsen didn’t have the luxury to react as quickly as Coquard. He didn’t even have time to put his arm out to break his fall.”

Rickaert himself also admitted afterward that he didn’t want to judge too quickly. “At first glance, I was angry at him and wanted answers, but I’ll need to watch the footage first. He said there was nothing he could do.” Hincapie thinks Rickaert will see things differently after reviewing the video. “Then he’ll see it wasn’t Coquard’s fault. He might even apologize today.”

Armstrong also agreed with his compatriot’s view. He noticed that the Cofidis Frenchman was immediately labeled the culprit. “Especially from within the peloton, but when you see the helicopter footage, I’m not so sure. Coquard was hit by Rex, and that caused the crash. In any case, it was awful to see Philipsen lying there like that.”

Wiggins also saw it as a racing incident. “This is the risk you take as a pro cyclist. Riders make tiny adjustments after very small movements in the peloton, and at these speeds, crashes like this are unavoidable. It’s understandable that Philipsen’s teammates were angry, you’re full of emotion in moments like that.”

It’s a big blow for Alpecin-Deceuninck, and Hincapie is especially curious about what it means for the rest of their Tour. “It will be interesting to see what Mathieu van der Poel does now. If he goes all in for the green jersey, he can probably win it,” said the former pro.