Philipsen never wants to call Van der Poel a lead-out again: "I don’t know if he will be in the Tour"

In Singapore, on the eve of the Prudential Singapore Criterium, Philipsen spoke with the Dutch De Telegraaf. "I’ve asked Mathieu a few times to come along, but he feels comfortable in Spain during the off-season," he said. This was his fourth season with Alpecin-Deceuninck, and by now, he and Van der Poel have become good friends. "On a personal level, we got along right away, and during races, we noticed that we could read each other quite quickly. I felt comfortable within the team immediately, and we have fun together, which is very important to me."

Although the 26-year-old sprinter often takes advantage of the steering skills of the former world champion, he doesn’t want to sell him short. "I never call Mathieu a lead-out, as I think that’s disrespectful in his case. He enjoys doing it and is probably the best in the peloton, but he is so much more than that. In most races Mathieu competes in, he is our team leader. What’s great about him is that when he sees little or no chance to win, he is happy to contribute to the team."

No one knows better than Philipsen just how valuable Van der Poel is to have on the team. "Mathieu makes it easier for me to win, yes, but you have to be a good sprinter to finish the preparatory work he does," Philipsen said realistically. "It also creates a lot of pressure when a great champion like him sacrifices his own chances for me."

The 2025 Tour de France route gives Philipsen hope: he’s aiming for the yellow jersey on day one. But Van der Poel also has opportunities in the first week, which features several punchy hill stages. "There are opportunities for both of us, although I don’t know if Mathieu will be there. I definitely want to ride it, but my program is also not yet confirmed. If we both participate, I am certainly willing to support him in any way possible."