Jasper Philipsen captured the fifth Vuelta a España stage and earned the race leader's jersey after a decisive sprint in Novara. He experienced an uneven season that began with a Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne victory, followed by a lack of spring wins and a brief Tour de France leadership that ended with a broken collarbone on stage three. He was a surprise late addition to the Alpecin-Deceuninck Vuelta line-up and immediately delivered a stage victory. Mads Pedersen, another favourite, finished 14th on the day. Philipsen previously won a grueling stage in the pandemic-delayed 2020 Vuelta, persevering through rain-soaked conditions to claim his first Grand Tour win.
Philipsen knows what he's talking about, given the highs and lows he's been through this season. The Belgian began with a fine Opening Weekend win on home soil in the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, only for it to be followed by a dearth of victories throughout the Spring Classics. He clinched a notable stage triumph and leader's jersey on the opening day of the Tour de France, only for that career high point to almost immediately crash out of the race with a broken collarbone on stage 3.
Fighting through the tougher times is something of a specialty for Philipsen, whose very first Grand Tour win was taken in the toughest-ever Vueltas of recent years, the pandemic-blasted 2020 edition, which was delayed until late autumn. At the end of a 230-kilometre rain-soaked grind through the hills of Galicia in the third week, Philipsen also persisted in believing in his chances - and he was rewarded with a hard-earned victory.
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