Stage 15: Jasper Is Faster
Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin-Deceuninck won a bunch sprint after the peloton caught the breakaway in the final 500m of the race. The pace of the peloton in the final stretch nearly left many of the top sprinters behind, including Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal), Fabio Jakobsen (Quick Step), Dylan Groenewegen (BikeExchange-Jayco), Peter Sagan (TotalEnergies). The young Belgian rider proved himself the best of the bunch and claims his first stage win at the Tour de France.
The Most Combative prize for Stage 15 went to Nils Politt (BOH) but the intense heat gets an honorable mention. The Tour becomes a war of attrition as it stretches toward the third and final week in a sweltering summer. Hydration was key in the peloton.
Notables did not start: Simon Clarke (IPT) and Magnus Cort Nielsen (EF) with Covid-19, Primoz Roglic (JV) with injury. Add an abandon by Steven Kruijswijk (JV), who took a hard crash with around 60km to go. Sad departure for Clarke and Nielsen, who can content themselves with their stage wins. The loss of Roglic and Kruijswijk puts additional pressure on the current yellow jersey wearer Jonas Vingegaard (JV) — who himself crashed with 57km to go! Does Jumbo Visma have the necessary firepower to defend the yellow jersey down the stretch? They will have to find a strategy without Roglic, who had transitioned nicely from GC contender to super domestique for his young teammate.
Elsewhere in the race, the GC battle sees no significant changes. Vingegaard (JV), Pogacar (UAE), and Geraint Thomas (IGD) hold position at 1, 2, and 3 respectively. The highest ranked American Neilson Powless (EF) had a fine day, improving to 13th position overall as he crossed the finish line with the peloton.
