Novara, Italy – Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin–Deceuninck claimed victory on Stage 1 of the Vuelta a España on Saturday, powering to a sprint finish win and securing the race’s opening red jersey. The win marks a significant comeback for the 27-year-old Belgian, who had been sidelined since fracturing his collarbone in a serious crash at the Tour de France last month.
Philipsen’s victory in Novara, which mirrors his triumph on the opening stage of the Tour de France earlier this summer, provided the perfect psychological boost after a season setback that required surgery.
Stage Dynamics and Breakaway Efforts
The 186.1 km (115.6 miles) stage—which marked the Vuelta’s first-ever start in Italy, running from Turin to Novara—was largely flat and favored a bunch sprint.
An early six-rider breakaway formed quickly, managing to build a lead of up to two minutes. However, the sprinters’ teams, primarily Alpecin-Deceuninck and Lidl-Trek, maintained disciplined control of the peloton, ensuring the gap never grew unmanageable.
On the only categorized climb of the day, La Serra, Alessandro Verre edged out Joel Nicolau to claim the first King of the Mountains points of the race.
After the rest of the breakaway was caught, Hugo de la Calle launched an audacious solo attack with 83 km to go. The young Spaniard held off the charging peloton for an impressive 45 kilometers before being caught with just 38 km left, setting the stage for the inevitable final sprint.
Sprint Masterclass
As the peloton entered the final kilometers, the lead-out trains took command. Philipsen’s Alpecin–Deceuninck team delivered a flawless execution, placing the Belgian in a perfect position. Roaring down the final stretch, Philipsen outsprinted his rivals to claim a comfortable victory.
Ethan Vernon (Israel–Premier Tech) finished second, with Orluis Aular (Movistar) taking third.
With the 10-second bonus for the stage win, Jasper Philipsen claimed the coveted red jersey and leads the General Classification by four seconds over Vernon and Pepijn Reinderink (Soudal Quick-Step).
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