Jasper Philipsen finally silenced a frustrating string of near misses at the Tour de France, seizing a commanding victory in the Alpine 17th stage on Wednesday. The Belgian sprinter crossed the line several bike lengths ahead of his rivals, ending what he described as a “horrible” run of close calls. Main Developments Philipsen’s win came after a perfectly executed lead-out from former world champion Mathieu van der Poel, who delivered him to the front at the precise moment. Mauro Schmid and Olav Kooij finished second and third, respectively, each having already won a stage earlier in this year’s Tour. The 174.7km route from Chambery to Voiron proved a frantic, hectic affair. It took more than 100km for a breakaway to finally form, with a six-man group eventually pulling clear. Among them was green jersey contender Mads Pedersen, who secured maximum points at the intermediate sprint 27km from the finish. Read also: Why Pakistan's volleyball opener against Sri Lanka matters beyond the court Pedersen’s move triggered a flurry of attacks. Jasper Stuyven broke away from the group and held a slim lead until he was caught less than 4km from the line. Van der Poel then drove the pace relentlessly, ensuring no one could escape before setting up Philipsen for the sprint. Background This victory marked Philipsen’s 11th Tour de France stage win and ensured he has now won at least one stage in each of the last five editions. He claimed the sprinters’ green points jersey in 2023, but this year’s campaign had been marked by persistent frustration. Philipsen had finished in the top five on five previous sprint stages without winning. In several of those near misses, Van der Poel’s lead-out arrived a fraction too early, leaving Philipsen vulnerable to being overtaken — often by compatriot Tim Merlier. Merlier, however, dropped out of the Tour a few days earlier after failing to keep pace on a tough mountain stage. “I was prepared very, very well, I was in the shape of my life,” Philipsen said. “The first stage was horrible, I couldn’t find myself, I couldn’t find the form I was hoping for. After 17 stages… we won for the team.” Why It Matters The 50 points Philipsen earned for the stage win moved him to within just seven points of Pedersen in the green jersey competition, intensifying the battle for the sprinters’ classification. With only a few stages remaining, every point now carries extra weight. For race leader Tadej Pogacar, the day brought a fresh concern: his key mountain lieutenant Adam Yates struggled throughout the stage after suffering a stomach problem the previous night. Yates finished more than 26 minutes behind Philipsen, raising questions about Pogacar’s support in the high mountains ahead. What's Next Pogacar himself came home safely in the main peloton, nearly nine minutes after the stage winner, and remains the defending champion with a firm grip on the yellow jersey. The green jersey fight between Philipsen and Pedersen is now separated by a razor-thin margin, promising a tense finish to the points classification. Van der Poel’s ability to control the finale and still deliver a winning lead-out suggests Alpecin-Deceuninck’s sprint train is back on track. Whether Philipsen can convert this momentum into another stage win — or overtake Pedersen for green — will be the focus of the coming days.