Tour de France 2025 Stage 3 LIVE - Jasper Philipsen crashes out of Tour de France at high speed ahead of intermediate sprint

The pack has shuffled a smidge, with Jasper Philipsen's unfortunate exit meaning everyone below him moves up a place.

But that was mayhem. It's not always the way but with so much at stake, so often it is at the Tour de France. For better, for worse, the commitment, the desire, is through the roof.

It was so close as they came round the corner, and the Belgian makes the claim. There was another huge crash with 250m to go.

But here comes the Lidl-Trek train. Bauhaus is looking for Milan's wheel. Merlier is perfectly primed.

20 or so riders back. The rest of the race continues.

PicnicPostNL moving up.

Safety for the GC riders so they can give the sprinters a bit more room, but still need to be watchful.

He's being looked after by Mattia Cattaneo today, and the correct side of every roundabout is all important. Evenepoel's safety zone is 5km today. Nearly there.

Full concentration now to the finish, whether you're a sprinter, lead-out, GC rider, or merely looking to get to the finish line in one piece. There's a headwind finish, which means riders will be looking to leave it as late as possible. There'll be the inevitable mass of road furniture on the run-in to town, and it's a pretty narrow finish straight, at only 6m wide, with an even narrower pinch point. I could not tell you how glad I am it's them and not me.

Through the town of Wormhout, known most widely for the Wormhout massacre from the Second World War, the flatly fronted bunch travels at some 40kph, much faster than it seems. Mathieu van der Poel and the other principles are near the front and keeping safe. We don't need any more victims today.

He gives the camera the "OK" gesture and with a lead of almost two minutes, immediately sits up in wait for his pals. Here comes the bunch, led by Luke "Turbo" Durbridge.

UAE Emirates race radio confirms it, Wellens will go into spots - not for the first time in his career, if I recall correctly - by taking the point at the top of this 2km "climb", cobbled in the final 700m. He was one point behind Pogacar at the start of the day.

At least for the last 10km they did, with the big teams establishing a barrage at the front. Now Tim Wellens has gone for a wander off the front, perhaps with an eye on the sole mountains point on offer at Mont Cassel. He seemed to inform Pascal Eenkhoorn of Soudal-QuickStep of his intentions before popping off. The suggestion is he's doing it to take it off the shoulders of his team-mate Tadej Pogacar, so his team leader doesn't have to bother with the podium presentation and can get offer quicker.

As hard as it is to work out what happened from the slow-mo replay, it's even harder to know what occurred, and where it originated, if you were one of the riders involved. Adrenaline will be pumping, riders will be inevitably upset, but hopefully they'll realize it's just something that sadly happens.

We see Jonas Rickaert in conversation with Kaden Groves. A moment of mourning might be appropriate but the Tour de France stops for almost nothing, indeed it barely even slows down. Jasper Philipsen's team still have a chance - multiple, arguably - to take a third stage in a row. Groves surely now switches from lead-out train to leader.

One of Philipsen's team-mate's is seen remonstrating with Bryan Coquard but I don't think the Frenchman was to blame, if anyone was. He was forced into the path of Philipsen and was trying to maintain his balance with his foot unclipped at the point of contact. He may have been propelled towards Philipsen by Laurenz Rex (Intermarche-Wanty.)

That was a horrible one, occurring at lead-out speed. It was getting seriously dicey as they neared the line, there was a big squeeze might in the middle and Philipsen was a big victim. The camera cut to him straight away and there's barely any skinsuit left. Robbie McEwen is certain that's his race over. Not that it matters but Jonathan Milan won the sprint.

I'm awake, I'm awake. Something about lead-out formations? Lidl-Trek on the right, IPT next to them, Intermarche-Wanty on the left, Alpecin don't seem all that fussed but actually the maillot jaune of Mathieu van der Poel is right in the thick of it, before falling back. Philipsen is well positioned.

Unless, like me, you sussepect the small child is being exploited by those older people who you assume are responsible for his well-being. Either way, I hope he cleans any spoils before re-use, otherwise he catch whatever caused Quinn Simmons hair and beard to end up like that.