Lidl-Trek's top talents dominate everyone in the U23 Paris-Roubaix

Lidl-Trek clearly lined up with the top favorites. Philipsen had something to prove after last year’s disappointment, when he crashed and crossed the finish line in tears—and, as it turned out later, with a concussion. The 18-year-old Dane has already competed this season in races like the Tour Down Under and Strade Bianche, where he finished 25th. Söderqvist is still officially a U23 rider, but the 21-year-old Swede, runner-up in last year’s World Time Trial Championships, had only raced in pro-level competitions until now, up to Paris-Roubaix.

The German-American team also started with strong names like Matteo Milan (younger brother of Jonathan Milan) and top Spanish talent Hector Alvarez. However, they were struck by bad luck early on. Alvarez crashed and broke his elbow, while Philipsen also hit the tarmac early in the race. After a strong chase, the Dane made it back to the front and launched an attack not long after. Eventually, he found himself solo in the lead.

Söderqvist shut down the counterattacks behind and ended up riding with Remijn, whom he later dropped. The Swede then made his way to the front, joined his teammate, and the two crossed the finish line arm in arm. After his solo effort, Philipsen was gifted the win by his teammate. The 19-year-old Remijn finished third, sixteen seconds back, while fellow Dutchman Guus van den Eijnden—also of Alpecin-Deceuninck—took fourth.

After the race, Philipsen said he wasn’t focused on last year’s edition. “It was such a tough day, but I still enjoyed it while riding at the front. Winning a race like this is special, but it’s even more special to share it with a teammate. Jakob is a great guy, and I’m really happy I get to share this moment with him.”

“I was the first to attack, but Jakob was so strong that he still managed to ride up to me solo. We didn’t really talk about who would win—we just rode to the finish together,” said Philipsen, who, despite his young age, is still figuring out what kind of rider he is. “I don’t know yet what type of rider I’ll become. I want to explore everything and see how my body develops. I put a lot of pressure on myself, but the team is very supportive and doesn’t push me too hard. I really feel at home at Lidl-Trek.”

The tall, powerful Swede Jakob Söderqvist added: “We really managed to lock down the race, and the plan worked perfectly. This is a day I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Albert deserved the win—he came from behind, crashed, and still made it back to the front at the right moment. He was the strongest.”

“For me, it’s also huge to be on the podium here, because I wanted to prove myself as a classics rider,” said Söderqvist. “I wanted to show that I can truly focus for one day and execute everything right with the legs I have. I knew I was good enough to win, but what Albert and I pulled off together was something we couldn’t have even dreamed of. Now I know that Paris-Roubaix could really suit me in the future.”