‘Enough to make a grown man cry’ – Robbie McEwen reflects on Jasper Philipsen's emotional stage 15 victory

Robbie McEwen said Jasper Philipsen's Stage 15 victory at the Tour de France was «enough to make a grown man cry», as the Belgian triumphed at the end of a dramatic final breakaway. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider overtook Benjamin Thomas in the final 500 metres in a pulsating finish on the road to Carcassone. Ad/> “It's enough to make a grown man cry,” McEwen told Eurosport.

Tour de FranceOpinion: To win the Tour de France, Pogacar needs to prepare to pull a Froome14 HOURS AGO “The evidence is right there and I was just thinking to myself about my first win at the Tour de France. “It was in the last day of my third tour and I had lots of second and third places like Jasper Phillipsen has, so I can feel that emotion of how special it is. “I tell you what, no matter how many defeats he's had, now that he's got it, he will feel it was worth the wait.” The 24-year-old was clearly very emotional himself after finally claiming his first stage victory.

Those feelings of elation were in stark contrast to Stage 4 on this year’s tour, as the Belgian celebrated victory following a bunch sprint to the line in Calais, only to discover that Wout van Aert had crossed line first. Opinion: To win the Tour de France, Pogacar needs to prepare to pull a Froome 'Crazy hot!' — Bardet on 'uncomfortable' heat at this year's Tour de France «I know what it's like to lose at the Tour de France,» Phillipsen said. «I was close so many times, but that it worked out today is unbelievable, I cannot believe it.

»I felt Wout was coming close, but I also knew the finish line from last year. We got boxed away a bit before the final corner and I knew there was not long to go after the corners from last year, so I knew I had to take up a good position. «I'm