Intermediate sprints still matter at the Tour de France; Jasper Philipsen knows why: 'Five points per sprint'

Jasper Philipsen is back in the Tour de France. Last year, the Belgian rider from Alpecin-Premier Tech was unfortunately forced to withdraw after a nasty crash, but in 2026 he hopes to make it to Paris again. And preferably in the green jersey for best sprinter, as he has managed to do once before in his career.

Is Philipsen the top favorite to win? “I think there are quite a few top favorites. Maybe not ten, but let’s say about five. In any case, it’s going to be a great race,” predicts the Belgian, who recently won the Baloise Belgium Tour and is therefore in excellent form.

He’ll likely only be able to show that good form on Day 5 to go for the stage win, since, on paper, that’s the first finish for the fast riders. “That’s right, but Mathieu van der Poel will have his chances much earlier. We’re both just trying to aim for the best possible results for ourselves and for the team. Hopefully, we’ll have a Tour that’s just as good as last year’s.”

"That's just the way it is," says Philipsen about the wait. “We just have to make sure we’re ready for the fifth stage. Of course, the first stage is also very important for the team right off the bat, so I’ll be giving it my all there, too. After that, we have four stages to get our legs moving a bit and find our rhythm. Stage 5 will be the first real test for me in this Tour."

There will also be plenty of opportunities in week two, but the final week might be a bit sparse for the sprinters. Philipsen does, however, see opportunities in stages 17 and 21. “It’s always hard to predict in advance, but as a sprinter, you stay motivated to make it to Paris no matter what. There’s always a chance there. The Montmartre climb is a bit farther from the finish this year, so I think the chances of a bunch sprint there are pretty high.”

"Even after Stage 12, there’s still a chance for the stronger sprinters. Of course, the final week will be by far the toughest; it’ll simply be a matter of survival. Overall, I see about five or six opportunities for us. On paper, the course is fairly balanced, but you never know how the race will play out,” he explains.

"If other teams keep breaking up the peloton on the mountain stages, there will ultimately only be a few bunch sprints left, and the balance will be lost. In any case, we’re going to do everything we can to seize as many opportunities as possible,” says Philipsen on behalf of Alpecin-Premier Tech, which is once again aiming for the green jersey.

The green jersey will depend even more on the final sprints this season, but Philipsen also points out the importance of intermediate sprints. “Those remain very important. There are now five more points to be earned than before, which means the gaps between the first and second riders are getting bigger. I think the difference is now five points per sprint, whereas it used to be twenty to seventeen points—so back then, the difference was only three points.”

"This makes winning an intermediate sprint a lot more important. If you only lose one or two points to your competitors each time, it doesn’t really make that much of a difference at the end of the race. But a five-point difference really adds up by the end of the Tour. Although, of course, stage wins remain the most important thing,” Philipsen concludes, outlining his main goal.