Belgian Jasper Philipsen came to the Tour as the great dominator of sprintsafter four wins which he signed last year, but it took him eleven stages to achieve a victory that finally set him free and again making it the benchmark for massive arrivals.
Alpecin regained its deadly tandem in Saint-Amand-Montrond. “I was looking forward to seeing the world champion leave me 500 meters from the finish line”noted the Belgian with Dutch connection Mathieu van der Poel, who served him his seventh victory in the French round.
The grandson of Raymond Poulidor, who did not seem to be riding in the best conditions, finally found the right positioning in a clean finish, where his legs dictated the final sentence and where Phlipsen was allowed the Eritrean Biniam Girmay was finally defeatedthat took two wins from him.
Philipsen was unable to compete in the first mass arrival in Bologna due to a fall in the third stage. In the fifthending in Saint-Vulbas, He was second after the British Mark Cavendishwho at 39 years old signed his 35th victory to surpass the Belgian Eddy Merckx as the one who achieved the most partial victories in the Tour.
Disappointed with that result, the next day at Dijon he went wild for victory and He crossed the finish line in second place behind Dutchman Dylan Groeneweguen. But his eagerness was too much and the Belgian was disqualified for sending off his compatriot Woud van Aert.
He missed the mark again at Colombey-les-deux-Églises in the eighth stage, again behind Girmay, and nervousness began to take over the Alpecin groupwho fears his best asset won’t make money on the Tour.
“It’s true that we were unlucky, but the key is not to give up. I’m grateful to the team for not losing faith in me,” he said.
The Belgian added Saint-Amand Montrond to his list of Tour victories, starting in Carcassonne in 2022, the year he also won the final stage on the Champs-Élysées.
Next year This is his designation as the best finisher of the momentwith four wins, Bayonne, Nogaro, Bordeaux and Moulins, which pushed him to consolidate the green jersey of the regularity he wore on the podium in Paris.
“It’s true that that person put more pressure on me. Everyone expects a lot from me and that can have an influence.. “Now we’ve achieved a stage victory and I think that frees me up a bit, it takes the pressure off,” he said.
“Although in my case, I put the pressure on myself, I always want to win and I work every day to achieve it,” he added.
Philipsen was not the most liked cyclist in the peloton. His maneuvers in the arrivals generated many feuds.and he himself admits that he does not always play fair.
But After being disqualified this year, he made sure that he was being persecuted a bitthat other runners do similar maneuvers in sprints and don’t have the same consequences.
“I never intended to hurt anyone. I think they have been too difficult for me. I’m a bit persecuted. Others do worse and go unpunished.”he told the press in his country.
Philipsen made sure he never looked back when he won. “I trust instinct and maybe I should be more aware of what my movements cause,” he acknowledged.
After finishing the first week blank, the Belgian continues to believe in his options. “There are five chances left and we must find them all“, he pointed out this Monday on a rest day.
After winning his first stage, the sprinter knew his legs were ready to add to his record.
Source: La Verdad
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