Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) timed his sprint to perfection to narrowly pip Arnaud De Lie (Lotto) to the victory at the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro, defending his crown from last year in a chaotic sprint.
De Lie hit the front after scorching around the outside of Tim Torn Teutenberg (Lidl-Trek) and Lukáš Kubiš (Unibet Tietema Rockets), who opened up the sprint in Münster first, but Philipsen was waiting to pounce not far behind.
The Belgian kicked out of his slipstream and had enough power to come around him before the line arrived. De Lie was second at the line, with Pavel Bittner (Team Picnic PostNL) in third and Jordi Meeus (Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe) just missing out on the podium in fourth.
It was set to be the final sprint battle of the season between Philipsen and one of the other best sprinters in the world, Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step), but the frantic fight in the bunch saw the latter crash in the final 7km in what was his last race in the European Champion's jersey.
"It was quite chaotic, there was a small crash in one of the final laps, so we were with a smaller group and it was always a bit nervous," said Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin–Deceuninck), describing the hectic final kilometres. "Happy we could be in front with the team and also take the win."
"It's always on a flat race with all the sprinters are here, they always say that," – that it was the sprinters' World Championships – "It's been a long season for everybody and we're all tired with the motivation not super high, but we always try to make the best out of it."
Arnaud De Lie's (Lotto) bike slipped over one of the white lines, forcing him to check his sprint in the closing metres, but Philipsen was, unsurprisingly, unaware of any mechanical issues sprinting next to his compatriot at 60kph: "No, I don't know I didn't see it. Maybe it happened in the sprint, but of course I was focused on my sprint as well. He won already enough the last few weeks, so he cannot be too disappointed."
Three riders got up the road after a series of attacks in the opening hour at the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro: Colby Simmons (EF Education–EasyPost), Rasmus Bøgh Wallin (Uno–X Mobility) and Vinzent Dorn (Bike Aid), and they led for much of the day, including the small climbs in the first 94km.
Nerves about the wind brought a couple of momentary moments of stress for the peloton, and did see a small crash, but it was largely a simple chase for the top sprint teams in the bunch. They caught the three breakaway riders with 45km to go.
More attacks did come with racing back together, led by Unibet Tietema Rockets and several of the continental home German teams, but, while these did string out the bunch, racing was still under control for the fast men.
One they arrived in Münster and started the laps around the finish, the pace was being ramped up significantly by the likes of Alpecin–Deceuninck. Things got so hectic that European Champion Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick–Step) – one of the top favourites – crashed out with two of his teammates with 6.8km to go.
The slippery cobbled roads were causing chaos and making it extra-difficult to stay in position at the front, a position which Alpecin–Deceuninck continued to dominate ahead of the likes of Lotto, Team Visma–Lease a Bike and Team Picnic PostNL.
Elbows and shoulders were thrown aplenty in the closing kilometres, as riders fought hard to maintain position or move up before he finale. Red Bull took over through Laurence Pithie into the final kilometre and last corner, with his sprinter Jordi Meeus waiting to strike, but it was Lidl-Trek who came to the fore as the sprint was starting.
Tim Torn Teutenberg (Lidl-Trek), without his planned leader for the day Mads Pedersen – who ended his season early due to illness, hit the front and tried to sprint, but the young German was soon overhauled by the top WorldTour sprinters.
De Lie hit the front at speed and looked set for a seventh victory in his past nine appearances, but a small slip and Philipsen's powerful closing speed denied him. This was the top Belgian sprint star's seventh professional victory of 2025.
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