Philipsen fit in time for Milan-Sanremo, will defend title despite "abrasions and a few stitches"

He did almost everything right in Nokere Koerse: Jasper Philipsen was active throughout the Belgian semi-classic, staying at the front for most of the race. But just before the final sprint, a crash behind him triggered a chain reaction, causing the Belgian to be taken down from behind. A nasty impact with the asphalt followed for the Milan-San Remo favorite—but what now? Well, just hit the ground running, of course!

Philipsen was in prime position to cap off a strong race with a victory in Nokere Koerse. Jonas Rickaert led out the sprint perfectly, but as he peeled off the front, a scuffle between other teams ensued. Groupama-FDJ riders were forced to swerve, setting off a domino effect in the peloton.

A Lotto Dstny rider was pushed toward the roadside, causing Arne Marit to collide with the rear wheel of Soudal Quick-Step sprinter Luke Lamperti. Marit crashed and, in the process, slammed into the unsuspecting Philipsen, who was riding beside him. The Alpecin-Deceuninck leader was thrown forward onto the tarmac and was visibly shaken before being taken away in an ambulance. Other riders caught up in the crash included Cees Bol (XDS-Astana) and Jakob Söderqvist (Lidl-Trek).

About an hour after the race, Alpecin-Deceuninck team director Preben Van Hecke shared his thoughts with IDLProCycling.com and other media. "It was a great race. We were heading toward the sprint when that unfortunate crash happened. There's not much more to say. Jasper is disappointed and angry, of course. The crash happened right behind him, and he had nowhere to go because they fell onto him from behind."

"Very unfortunate," is the only conclusion the sports director could draw. "Jasper has quite a few bruises. His right side took a lot of damage, especially his middle and ring fingers. We’ll have to check that with the doctor in Ghent. He’s taking the team bus there, and then we’ll see. He’s very stiff. If a crash happens in front of you, you can at least brace for it. But this one came out of nowhere. Those are always the worst crashes," the former rider explained.

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Alpecin-Deceuninck team director: "We have to wait and see for Milan-San Remo"

"I’m not a doctor, but I do think it will need stitches—that’s the minimum. The impact itself is the biggest concern," Van Hecke continued. "He has superficial wounds and abrasions, but also significant bruising. When you crash that hard, you’re always left with bruising and stiffness."

"What this means for Saturday, we’ll have to wait and see. It’s hard to predict right now. It depends on how the night goes. I think they’re flying out tomorrow evening. It could go either way—it might get worse, or we could wake up and say, ‘Okay, he’s good to go.’ It’s difficult to assess," Van Hecke concluded. Philipsen was set to start Milan-San Remo as the defending champion, alongside Mathieu van der Poel, who won the race in 2023.

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Philipsen will start in Sanremo

Later that evening, Philipsen made a statement of his own. "I couldn't do anything about it. This is very disappointing because I felt great and was focused on winning," he said through his team. He added: "Sometimes things happen outside of our control, today was one of those days. But when the going gets tough, the tough get going..🔥"

After a good night's sleep, Philipsen has finally decided to start in Milan-Sanremo. "The crash obviously had a huge impact on my body," he says on the Alpecin-Deceuninck Instagram page. "With a lot of abrasions and a few stitches, it won't be easy, but I want to give it a shot. And if I don't feel great in the final, I will of course support the team. I am really happy I can start," the defending champion concludes.  

Video: Jasper Philipsen crashes hard in Nokere Koerse

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