Sprint ace Jasper Philipsen has bounced back from the crash that prematurely ended his Tour de France, leaving him with a broken collarbone and ribs, as he sprinted to victory on the opening stage of La Vuelta a Espana.
With the great Spanish race making its first ever start in Italy, the star Belgian speedster claimed the red jersey after comfortably outpacing his nearest challengers in Novara following a textbook lead-out from his Alpecin-Deceuninck team in Saturday's (Sunday AEST) bunch finish.
Briton Ethan Vernon, of Israel-Premier Tech, was second and Venezuelan Orluis Aular, of Movistar, came home third, but neither looked close to upsetting the 27-year-old Philipsen, the quickest man in the peloton right now, as he eased to his 14th Grand Tour stage win.
