Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Desseuninck) has been cleared to start stage 4 of the Tour de France.

Alpecin-Desseuninck announced the news on the morning of stage 4 and also confirmed that lead-out man Jonas Ricart, who crashed in the same crash, will start in Pinheiro.

"Soon we will start stage 4 of the Tour de France with Jasper Philipsen, who crashed yesterday. Fortunately, our top sprinter had a good night and seems to be recovering well from the bruising and abrasions on his right hip.

"Jonas Rickert, who suffered a bruise on his lower right leg, is also on the mend after treatment with ice and anti-inflammatories. Jasper and Jonas will be able to recover a bit more today with the next sprint stage in mind."

Philipsen, the best sprinter of the 2023 Tour with three stage wins, showed how much luck it takes to win even one sprint in the Tour, as his Alpecin-Desseuninck team did not all go well on the final approach to Turin

Philipsen.

Philipsen's chances were thwarted even before he crashed. World champion and leading lead-out Mathieu Van der Pol suffered a double puncture (the first of the season according to team manager Christoph Rudhoeft) 6 km from the finish, draining the train of energy and losing positions.

Then Philipsen and the rest of the Alpecin contingent tried to make up positions in the second half of the race and gain positions in the final two corners, but a crash occurred that also involved Israel Premier Tech and Cofidis.

Their sprinter hit the deck at high speed, and the broadcast showed him running away from the accident with his teammate's arm on his back, eventually finishing in 118th place.

"Considering the circumstances, the damage wasn't too bad. I think I hit the ground at least 60 km/h, but luckily it was a good road," he told Belgian media, including Het Nieuwsblad.

"After Mathieu's puncture I was able to switch gears well, but the guys in front of me caught up and there was nowhere to avoid. It's a shame, especially because I missed the sprint and the points for the green jersey."

Although he was angry at missing the chance for the opening sprint after dominating all but one of the flat group finishes in 2023, Philipsen knows he should have five or six more chances to add to his six stage wins at the Tour.

However, his defense of the green jersey has taken a major hit, and he is already more than 30 points behind the likes of Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) and historic stage winner Biniam Girmay (Intermarché Wanty).

"It was not a positive day, but fortunately we still have a chance. But of course I would have liked a different result," said Philipsen.

"I'm already happy to be able to continue on tour and that it's not so bad after all. It's boiling a little bit in my heart, but that's part of cycling."

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