Philipsen found perfect replacement Van der Poel in Groenewegen: "He started early, allowing me to catch up"

There's no stopping Jasper Philipsen. The Belgian cyclist from Alpecin-Deceuninck has secured his fourth victory in the 11th stage of the Tour de France, making it four sprint wins out of four opportunities for the fast riders. Despite not having the assistance of the ailing Mathieu van der Poel in the lead-out, Philipsen triumphed with a significant lead, leaving no doubt about his dominant performance.

"Jasper the Master," the four-time stage winner, expressed in the flash interview, "It's been an incredible Tour thus far. I can't fully comprehend how well things are going, and I'm immensely proud of my form. I manage to navigate through those final sprints smoothly without encountering any issues. It's a tremendous challenge every time, and achieving four consecutive victories is an achievement that fills me with immense joy."

According to Philipsen, the absence of his usual lead-out, Van der Poel, from the peloton before the sprint made things considerably more challenging. "I can still win without him, but having him by my side makes it much easier to find the right wheel and create space. Fortunately, I managed to latch onto Groenewegen's wheel, and his early attack enabled me to overcome the obstacles."

Philipsen not yet contemplating fifth stage win

There are still a few sprint opportunities on the horizon, but Philipsen isn't currently fixated on securing a fifth stage win. He acknowledges that as the race progresses, more riders will be vying for a spot in breakaways. Philipsen expresses his contentment with his current achievement of four stage wins, stating, "I'm already thrilled with four victories, and my hope is to reach Paris while wearing the green jersey. I currently have a significant lead, allowing me to approach the upcoming Alpine stages with a sense of comfort."