The Belgian rider won the last two sprint stages, bringing him closer to Biniam Girmay in the points classification. Although he still has a chance to claim the overall victory, it will not be an easy task.
Who will win the green sprint jersey in this Tour de France?
While no leader stood out in the middle of the race, Biniam Girmay claimed three victories and seemed to be on his way to the green jersey, which he has worn since Stage 5.
However, following Tuesday’s stage, where he crashed, the Eritrean remains in the lead but feels the pressure from Jasper Philipsen, who finished strong. Can he surpass him? It seems complicated, but not impossible.
Because there are only 32 points between them
After Stage 12, Jasper Philipsen was 107 points behind Biniam Girmay in the points classification. But after Tuesday’s stage, there are only 32 points separating them. Thanks to the Eritrean’s fall, the Belgian won the stage and 67 points, while his opponent earned none.
In the second half of the Tour, the green jersey holder for the 2023 edition has done what it takes to reclaim his leading position, thus sowing doubt in his rival’s mind. “For the green jersey, we’re still in the race, but Biniam is having a great Tour. We will continue to apply pressure; the race is not over until we’re in Nice,” said the day’s winner to France Télévisions.
Because there are still points available in the intermediate sprints
Until the finish in Nice, there will be no more mass sprints, unlike previous years where the finish on the Champs-Elysées allowed the winner to earn 50 points. To make up for this lack of points, Jasper Philipsen will need to earn them in the intermediate sprints, which award 20 points to the first, 17 to the second, and so on.
There are four of these sprints left before Nice, providing four opportunities for Philipsen to catch up to Girmay. By adding the points for each finish, the total could reach 200 points if one rider wins all possible points.
However, of those 200 points, only 40 to 60 are expected to go to the sprinters due to the mountainous course and the difficulty of competing for the intermediate sprints. Therefore, Philipsen will need to gain points in every “playable” intermediate sprint to equal Girmay’s score.
Despite the difficulty, this situation alters strategies, with the possibility for the Alpecin-Deceuninck team to position riders between Philipsen and Girmay in the intermediate sprints to create a points gap. “I am closer to the green jersey, but the Tour is over for the sprinters. With 20 points [for the winner of the intermediate sprint], it’s almost impossible, but it’s nice to still have a little objective; it gives motivation to stay,” emphasized the Belgian.
Because he has the momentum against Girmay
Initially frustrated by Biniam Girmay, Jasper Philipsen has gradually taken the upper hand, supported by his team. “At the beginning, the train was good, but not perfect. Now it is. There is a lot more confidence,” claims his manager. “He likes being confident and having his teammates around him. When he doesn’t let go of the wheel, he’s rarely beaten,” confirms his French teammate Axel Laurance.
On his part, Biniam Girmay crashed at the end of Tuesday’s stage. In addition to seeing his rival gain points and confidence, he may suffer from his fall in the coming days. “My knee is swollen, and I have two stitches on my elbow, but it’s not a problem. I’m fine,” stated the green jersey holder. Biniam Girmay is close to winning the first African green jersey, but the unexpected twists of the Tour could deprive him of this historic success.
Source of the article: Francetvinfo