Stage 3 TDF 2023 Blog: Caffeine Shampoo Works Its Magic

Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin Deceuninck won the first sprint of the 2023 Tour, having been led out perfectly by Mathieu van der Poel to 200m to go.

Philipsen closed down the space available to Wout van Aert – the Jumbo Visma man had no space left, with Philipsen on one side and the barriers on the other. The Commissaires decided it was not a DQ.

This was the day the Tour de France came home and started to tour France. It crossed the border to Hendaye and continued via Saint-Jean-de-Luz to Bayonne.

Video Highlights

This is the last kilometre of Stage 3.

These are video highlights of the stage.

The Break

In the break today were Neilson Powless (EF) and Laurent Pichon (Arkéa).

Powless was after KOM points, and the last of the categorised climbs was at 102km. After that, Pichon was on his own, and he lasted until 37km to go.

The Adverts

I’ve been traumatised enough by the ITV adverts already – the manipulative tactics of the advertisers that I avoid the rest of the year.

Today was a new low, though, as they were trying to get me to book my own cremation. No, I won’t.

Pete Kennaugh

Pete Kennaugh is positioned on the ITV4 standing table to show off his floppy New Romantic fringe and earring. This is sport, not Duran Duran.

It’s still not bad enough to get me to book my own cremation, mind.