World's youngest cycling champion, Philipsen (16), really admires Van der Poel and Van Aert: "Every cycling discipline is great"

Danish cyclocross champion, world champion in cross country mountain biking, and now the youngest road world champion ever in the juniors category: Albert Withen Philipsen has all the makings of a future star. IDLProCycling.com was present at the Dane's press conference.

Philipsen's victory was from undeserved, as he had been involved in attacks from the beginning. There was a reason behind this, he explained afterward. "We thought there might be some crashes, so it was important to be at the front. I also find that the most fun, as I don't have much road experience. There was a chance I might overexert myself, but it was worth it," he explained the tactic.

"It was an intense race on a tough course," the winner summed up the race. "I decided to attack early, but eventually, that group stayed ahead the entire race. At the end of the race, I attacked, and I was able to ride solo to the finish line. That was an incredible experience. I thought about all the hours I've spent on the bike and all the support I've received from my family, friends, and sponsors. The whole journey I've taken," said the thrilled Philipsen.

Besides the road, Philipsen also competes in mountain biking and cyclocross, which he plans to continue doing. "It's hard to say what I enjoy the most. Every discipline is great in its own way, so I can't really choose." Therefore, it's not surprising when he answers the question from IDLProCycling.com about who his idols are. "My heroes are the guys who combine multiple disciplines, like Mathieu van der Poel, Tom Pidcock, and Wout van Aert. I really admire them and feel the same as them when it comes to mixing different aspects of cycling," explains the spontaneous rider from Denmark.

Number three in the Junior World Championship is Alexander Kristoff's younger brother

Sitting next to Philipsen was the third-place finisher in the World Championships for juniors, Felix Ørn-Kristoff. He is the 19-year-younger half-brother of Alexander Kristoff, currently riding for Uno-X and former winner of major races like the Tour of Flanders. His answer to the idol question was thus easy to guess. "My brother Alexander, of course. I've always looked up to him and admired him. He's won races like the Tour of Flanders, so he's logically always been my example. Now, however, I also like watching Tadej Pogacar, because of his aggressive racing style."