Jasper Philipsen overtook Mark Cavendish in the last 100 meters of the seventh stage of the Tour de France, denying Cavendish’s bid to break the career Tour stage wins record.
Philipsen, a 25-year-old Belgian, has won all three sprint stages of this year’s Tour.
“I never had a big effort before I could launch my sprint, and that’s how we win,” Philipsen said. “If you told me this one week ago, I would think you’re crazy. So far, it’s a dream for us, a dream Tour.”
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Cavendish, a 38-year-old Brit in his final Tour, went to the front of Friday’s bunch sprint, but said he had a problem his gear while Philipsen’s move moments later proved decisive.
“I’m bitterly disappointed, but we keep on trying,” Cavendish said.
Biniam Girmay of Eritrea, who at last year’s Giro d’Italia became the first African to win a Grand Tour stage, was third behind Philipsen and Cavendish.
Philipsen was given the nickname “Jasper Disaster” by Norwegian Alexander Kristoff when they raced together because he caused a lot of crashes.
“Then he was a little clumsy. And he also forgot a lot of things,” Kristoff told Het Laatste Nieuws. “Then he lost his sunglasses, or couldn’t find his toiletry bag, or forgot his shoes. He was often a disaster, a disaster. The nickname was meant as a joke, not an insult.”
Cavendish is tied with Belgian legend Eddy Merckx for the career record of 34 Tour de France stage wins. Cavendish, who is retiring after this season, will likely get another chance on the next flat stage on Wednesday.
“I would also have loved to see him win, I think everybody [would],” Philipsen said. “For sure, he will keep on trying.”
The top five in the overall standings went unchanged, led by defending Tour champ Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark.
Saturday’s eighth stage is transitional as the Tour heads toward the Massif Central. A 5% uphill in the last 700 meters might mean it will not be a sprinters’ day.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.