The China Mail - Philipsen wins nervy Tour de France opener as Evenepoel loses time

Philipsen took the yellow jersey in a frantic sprint finish at the northern city of Lille, while double Olympic champion Evenepoel was trapped in a second group and lost around 40 seconds.

Race favourites Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard both finished safely in the lead pack on a day marred by a series of falls.

Africa's sole rider Biniam Girmay, winner of three stages in 2024, was second on the day as Philipsen got ahead of him with 100m to go.

Around 40 riders in the first group contested the sprint where one of the day's many falls happened.

Primoz Roglic of Red Bull and Team UAE's Joao Almeida were also caught in the surprise split in blustery winds.

Fans packed the route in one of France's more modest regions passing First World War memorials, red-brick houses and slagheaps from long-closed coal mines along the Belgian border.

Racing towards an intermediate sprint over cobbles, escapee Benjamin Thomas slid sideways and took out his sole rival Matteo Vercher in one spectacular fall and the pair were still bickering when the peloton shot past them.

Former time-trial world champion Filippo Ganna was one rider who will take no further part after a clumsy fall on a corner.

The Italian would have been a contender on the lengthy stage 5 individual time-trial, as well as key in the Ineos team's campaign to get veteran Geraint Thomas into the top 10 on his 14th and final Tour de France.

Philipsen, in yellow, will lead the peloton out for Sunday's second stage, a hilly 209km route to the beaches of Boulogne-sur-mer.

P.Deng--ThChM