Jordi Maeus Wins Group Sprint on Champs-Élysées: Exciting Conclusion to Tour de France 2023

2023-07-23 23:30:00
Newcomer Jordi Maeus (Bora-Hansgrohe, Belgium) won the group sprint held on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark, Jumbo-Visma), who finished side-by-side with his teammate, won the tournament again.
Run up the Champs Elysées towards the Arc de Triomphe Photo: CorVos
July 23 (Sun) Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines-Paris-Champs-Elysées image: ASO 21st stage Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines-Paris-Champs-Elysées 115.1km image: ASO

The 110th Tour de France, which took place over three weeks, celebrated its final day at the Champs-Elysées in Paris for the 48th consecutive year. The starting points for the 3,404km long journey are the Velodrome, which will host the 2024 Paris Olympics, and Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, where the headquarters of the French Cycling Federation are located. From there, the riders will enjoy a 37km parade towards the city of Paris, completing eight laps of the familiar 6.8km course, including the Arc de Triomphe, Place de la Concorde and Lemonnier Tunnel.

And the last is a group sprint called “Sprinter’s World Championship”. Not only Jasper Philipsen (Belgium, Alpecin Dukuninck) who won the 5th section, but also Dylan Groenewegen (Netherlands, Jaiko Allulah), who overcame the mountains, and Peter Sagan (Slovakia, Total Energie) who will be in the final race of the Tour, all gathered attention.

Then, when the 150 athletes left Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines in the suburbs of Paris at 16:40, Victor Campenaerts (Belgium, Lot Destiny), who won the Overall Fighting Spirit Award, jumped out. As the former hour record holder, who splendidly scored his first attack for four days in a row, dropped into the group, the customary parade on the last day of the Grand Tour began.

Victor Campenaerts (Belgium, Lot Destiny), who won the Overall Fighting Award, made the first attack on this day Photo: CorVos
Four award jerseys of Maillot Vert, Maillot Jaune, Maillot Blanc and Maillot Apova Photo: CorVos
Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark, Jumbo-Visma), who practically won the overall victory for the second year in a row the day before, was in the lead of the group and had a photo time. Next to him was Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia, UAE Team Emirates), who will be wearing his last maillot blanc (Young Rider Award jersey) on this day. Philippsen (Maillot Vert) and Giulio Ciccone (Italy, Riddle Trek) in Maillot Apova (Mountain Award jersey) also started running side by side towards Paris, the city of flowers.

After that, in addition to Vingegaard’s overall win, the Danish players who won three section wins lined up. This was followed by the players wearing the national champion jerseys of each country, and the familiar scene where Yumbo Visma, who demonstrated overwhelming team power again this year, tipped champagne. And Nathan van Hooydonk (Belgium) left the race on the 17th stage and lifted the number 6 to Wout van Aert (Belgium) who was able to witness the birth of his second child safely.

Yumbo Visma poses with the annual champagne photo: CorVos
150 athletes passing through the Arc de Triomphe Photo: CorVos
Ciccone passed the top of the 4th class mountain with 72.3km remaining and added flowers to Mailoapova. After running around the suburbs of Paris at a slow pace, the riders arrived at the Champs-Élysées circuit with Yumbo-Visma in the lead. Rounding the Louvre Pyramid at the Louvre Museum and crossing the finish line, the battle for the final day began.

Players aiming to escape from the acceleration of Pascal Einkorn (Netherlands, Lot Destiny) repeatedly attacked, and Pogacar took the lead alone to create a highlight. However, this was pulled back by Van Hooydonk, and Simon Clarke (Australia, Israel Premier Tech), Nelson Oliveira (Portugal, Movistar) and Frédéric Frisson (Belgium, Lot Destiny), who had no sprinters in their team, formed an escape group.

Photo: CorVos
Three people including Simon Clark (Australia, Israel Premier Tech) run away Photo: CorVos
Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia, UAE Team Emirates) receiving the mark of Van Hooydonk Photo: CorVos
After that, despite the attacks of home country stars Julian Alaphilippe (France, Soudal Quickstep) and Gorka Isagirre (Spain, Movistar), all were pulled back to the peloton and the group became one. Then Jaiko AlUla led the way through the 3km point, while Vinguego and other Jumbo-Visma players lagged behind the pack with smiles on their faces.

Riddle Trek, with Mads Pederson (Denmark), is next in line, followed by Alpecin Dukunink, who won four sprint stage wins in this year’s tournament. Then, with 1.2km to go, Pogacar took the lead for Matteo Trentin (Italy, UAE Team Emirates).

DSM Firmenich with sprinters gathers people in front of the group Photo: CorVos
Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia, UAE Team Emirates) who made a highlight at the end of the race in the leadout Photo: CorVos
Pogacar, who passed Flamm Rouge (with 1km remaining) in the lead, fell behind, and the group that became a line with that speed rushed into the final straight. In the midst of chaos, Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands, Alpecin Dukuninck) started the leadout with Philipsen behind him with 450m remaining. And just before van der Poel ended his role with 200 meters to go, Dylan Groenewegen (Netherlands, Jaiko Allulah) stepped up from behind Philipsen.

Philipsen calmly takes Groenewegen’s back and Pederson starts the sprint from behind. While the speed of Groenewegen and Pederson who took the lead was sluggish, Philipsen and Jordi Maeus (Bora Hansgrohe, Belgium), who increased the number from the opposite direction, took the lead at the same time.

Both then threw the handle and crossed the finish line. The decisive battle on the Champs-Élysées without a fist pump was announced to Maeus after a while.

A sprint led by Dylan Groenewegen (Jako Alulah, Netherlands) Photo: CorVos
Jasper Philipsen (Belgium, Alpecin Dukuning) and Jordi Maeus (Bora-Hansgrohe, Belgium) who threw the handle Photo: CorVos
Jordi Maeus (Bora Hansgrohe, Belgium) celebrating with his teammates after being told of victory Photo: CorVos
Maeus won his first Tour victory by a narrow margin over fellow Belgian Philipsen. “It’s been the best day of my career. I’ve finally been able to show today what I haven’t shown before. Everything went well. I’m very proud to have played a role in the win at the end,” he said.

“Danny[Van Poppel]and Marco[Haller]put me in the right position at the right time, then I got behind Jasper[Philipsen]and sprinted at the perfect time. There are no words to express my joy,” he said.

Maeus is a 25-year-old from Lommel in northern Belgium, which borders the Netherlands. Maeus, who was entrusted with the ace sprinter in this tournament, which was his first appearance, fulfilled that responsibility on the best stage.

Despite being defeated, Philipsen, who ended up with a great success of winning 4 sections and winning Maillot Vert, finished in 2nd place. In 3rd place is Groenewegen, who is also close to Pederson.

Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark, Jumbo Visma) after three weeks of fighting with his teammates Photo: CorVos
Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia, UAE Team Emirates), who showed the leadout in the final stages, made a peace sign and finished. Photo: Jonas Vingego (Denmark, Jumbo Visma) celebrating the overall victory with the CorVos family Photo: CorVos

And the overall victory was in the hands of Vingego, who finished in a row with his teammates. “This victory would not have been possible without my teammates and I want to celebrate with everyone tonight with a nice dinner. I would like to thank all the players and staff who participated, as well as my rivals for the three weeks. I will fight here again next year. And finally, I would like to thank my two family members (girlfriend and daughter) for supporting me,” Vinguegaard said in an interview with the winner.

Also, due to the influence of the Paris Olympics in 2024, the final finish point will be Nice in the south of France, so the next Tour will end at the Paris Champs-Elysées in 2025, two years later.

The detailed comments of the players will be reported in a separate article.

Jordi Maeus (Bora Hansgrohe, Belgium) who won the decisive battle in Paris in his first appearance in the Tour Photo: CorVos
4 award jerseys line up on the podium Photo: CorVos
Tour de France 2023 overall podium: 2nd Tadej Pogacar, 1st Jonas Vinguego, 3rd Adam Yates photo: CorVos
All players and staff climbed onto the podium and celebrated the consecutive victories in the tournament and overall team victory. Photo: CorVos

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