Philipsen's Victory and Pogacar's Lead in Eventful Tour de France Stage

Jasper Philipsen clinched his second stage win in the Tour de France’s 13th stage, while two-time champion Tadej Pogacar maintained the yellow jersey. The stage saw crashes and tactical plays, concluding a 165-kilometer route from Agen to Pau. Pogacar leads by 1 minute, 6 seconds, with crucial climbs ahead in the next stage.

Jasper Philipsen claimed victory in the 13th stage of the Tour de France in a thrilling sprint finish, while Tadej Pogacar retained the yellow jersey on Friday.

A crash near the finish line affected several riders, but Pogacar, positioned just ahead, managed to avoid the chaos.

Philipsen outpaced Belgian Wout van Aert and German Pascal Ackermann, marking his second stage win this month after a 3 1/2-hour ride.

Pogacar, who placed ninth, leads by 1 minute, 6 seconds over Remco Evenepoel of Belgium and by 1:14 over two-time defending champion Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark.

The flat stage offered sprinters valuable points in the green jersey contest, covering a 165-kilometer route from Agen to Pau.

Biniam Girmay of Eritrea finished fourth, retaining the green jersey, while 2020 runner-up Primoz Roglic withdrew following a crash.

Before the stage, fan support was evident with signs like “Allez Paugacar!” spotted among the crowd.

A breakaway group including Julien Bernard and Michal Kwiatkowski was caught 50 kilometers from the end after navigating the rolling countryside.

The pace remained intense, with Pogacar taking tactical risks by staying near the front, narrowly avoiding a crash that sent riders into barriers.

The upcoming 14th stage promises rigorous climbs, starting from Pau and tackling the iconic Col du Tourmalet before ending in Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d'Adet.

Pogacar is expected to challenge Vingegaard, maintaining rivalry momentum from Stage 11.