Staying in the north of France, stage three is a 178km run from Valenciennes to Dunkerque, with the finish line near the Calais coast. It’s a largely flat day in the saddle but for the return of the category-four climb of Mont Cassel, so important to the Tour’s organisers that they’ve included it twice, on both stage one and three.

Philipsen will probably have to contend with Merlier and Milan this time, but he looks to be peaking for the time of the season which matters most. A second Tour de France stage win of 2025, and an 11th overall, could be coming for the 28-year-old.

Jasper Philipsen has won the opening stage of the Tour de France in a sprint to the line in Lille. Defending champion Tadej Pogačar finished safely.