Van Aert outraged over Philipsen’s sprint: "Not the first time, disqualification would be justified"

"I felt pretty good today, I had good legs," began the cyclist from Herentals in Belgium, discussing his initial seventh place. "That was nice, especially since I hadn't felt so good the previous two days. Yesterday and the day before, the feeling was not as good. So, I am satisfied with that, especially after such a hectic day. Everyone expected tricky winds and echelons. However, we were continuously where we needed to be as a team."

"Everyone could see that a better result was possible in the sprint," continued the versatile killer bee, now specifically addressing the sprint. "At one point, I was held up and had to stop pedaling. My sprint in itself is quite good, especially after a tough day in the saddle. Hopefully, it will continue to improve."

Van Aert’s critique of the race did not end there. He also specifically addressed his compatriot Philipsen, who rides for Alpecin-Deceuninck. "Jasper boxed me in. I think everyone could see that. It's a bad habit of his. In my opinion, he crossed the line. It wasn’t super dangerous because I was able to brake in time. But I was sprinting alongside him. When you drive someone towards the barriers... I don’t really understand that. It’s not like you don’t feel someone coming. And it’s not professional to just close the door. I was right next to him."

"Last year it was already like that, and now it's the same again," concluded Van Aert. "Am I angry? I’m actually mostly glad that I stayed upright. If there are no sanctions, that would really make me angry. You see one crazy move after another in the last six to seven kilometers. If they don't start punishing that behavior more strictly, soon everyone will think that anything goes. Then it becomes an even bigger problem. I don’t necessarily feel called upon to go to the UCI myself. In principle, that shouldn’t be necessary, because I assume they watch the sprint themselves. It would be completely wrong if a complaint is needed before anything happens. Disqualification would be an appropriate punishment for me. Leaving the race wouldn't be necessary, though."