Philipsen already dreams of Sanremo lead-out from Van der Poel after Tirreno sprint: "But when I see Pogacar in action..."

Jasper Philipsen was the strongest (or the smartest) in stage two of the Tirreno-Adriatico. Just like last year, the 'Flame of Ham' secures his first season victory in this Italian stage race. The win was a relief for the Belgian and his team Alpecin-Deceuninck, as it confirmed the lightning-fast legs he possesses after a different kind of winter.

"I'm glad we could claim our first stage victory so early in the race," the victor began in the flash interview afterwards. "It's always hectic in the finale, but luckily I was able to execute my sprint beautifully and rush to victory. I felt Tim (Merlier) coming up early and tried to get on his wheel right away, but I encountered some shifting problems. Fortunately, I managed to launch my sprint at the right moment."

With a bit of humor, you could say that Merlier, with a sprint from 300 meters to the line, was the perfect lead-out for Philipsen. "The headwind was crucial in this sprint. Tim went straight after the corner, and once I got his wheel, I knew I stood a good chance. So, in a way, Tim was indeed the perfect lead-out, yes."

Alpecin-Deceuninck sees Philipsen strike back after poor Opening Weekend

The fact that Philipsen managed to win the sprint on Tuesday was somewhat of a relief. "It's nice to take the victory. It had been a while at the highest level, but Jasper has now swept the zero off the table," says teammate Gianni Vermeersch to IDLProCycling.com. We didn't see the best Philipsen in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels, but Vermeersch counters: "He didn't go home after the Omloop, did he. He came from altitude, and that he wins immediately here proves that he's in good shape."

Oscar Riesebeek, who positioned the sprint train at the front with three kilometers to go, had to review the sprint afterwards and agrees. "We're usually not the team that stands out in the Opening Weekend. We always hope so, but Tirreno is always a bit better a week later. That was the case last year and now again. A sprinter doesn’t have to be at a hundred percent to win. Jasper is close to it, but he's primarily a winner. When everything falls into place, he's always up there competing for victory."

"Sprinting is what I'm really good at. That's where my talent lies," confirms Philipsen, who, despite this, shifted to a training regime with more altitude this winter. The classics are more than ever a goal for the sprinting powerhouse, necessitating the necessary adjustments. "To get a good result in the classics, I have to work very hard, we'll see how far I can go in that. This victory is definitely very sweet. It's good for the confidence. It's just like last year when I also had to wait for my first win in Tirreno. The Opening Weekend wasn't a great success, and that's why I'm here, to improve my form towards the classics. I remain a sprinter, though, so I can always win in that."

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Sanremo as the first test, or not quite yet?

After Tirreno-Adriatico, Philipsen will encounter the Flemish cobbles in Nokere Koerse. However, the real test for the Belgian comes on Saturday, March 16, when Milan-Sanremo is raced. A race that in recent years has been dominated by the top riders in the cycling world, but Philipsen dreams of success. "Last year I came out of Tirreno in good shape, so let's see how far I can get in Sanremo this time. I gained confidence there last year," he refers to his fifteenth place in La Primavera in 2023.

In the press conference, a quarter of an hour after the TV interviews, Philipsen elaborates on the longest race of the year. "It really depends on how I get over the Poggio. Seeing Tadej Pogacar in action in Strade Bianche, the chances are slim for someone like me to be among the best at the top. The realistic way to win Milan-Sanremo is in a group of twenty or thirty riders heading to the finish. That is very challenging nowadays."

A familiar scenario for a sprinter, though Philipsen has circled this year's Sanremo race in his calendar with a thick red marker, last year it was only underlined. "It's a goal, one of the Monuments where I have a chance to win. You have to seize that opportunity, but you also have to be realistic. If Mathieu feels as good as last year, then he can finish it off. However, if we are in a group, then he can lead out the sprint for me." Is he referring to what happened last year in Tirreno? According to Philipsen, Van der Poel was not really missed in the bunch sprint. "We have also other strong guys. Jonas (Rickaert, ed.) is super experienced in this role, and Fabio and Gianni also know what to do. Mathieu makes some things a bit easier, but we have more quality in the team."