"A sprinter should sprint, not always go on altitude training camps" - Belgian ex-pro critical of Jasper Philipsen's training methods

Although far from a disaster, Jasper Philipsen's 9 victories in 2024 are a sharp decline from the 19 wins by the Belgian sprint star in 2023. Could there be a clear reason behind the Alpecin-Deceuninck star's drop off this year though?

As mentioned, this year has by no means been a bad one for the 26-year-old. A monument success at Milano-Sanremo, followed by 4th at the Tour of Flanders and 2nd at Paris-Roubaix for the second year running marked a very successful spring that also saw joy at Classic Brugge-De Panne. A stage of the Baloise Belgium Tour came in June and although he finished 2nd to Arnaud De Lie at the Belgian National Championships, Philipsen secured three stage victories at the Tour de France. Despite this though, there is still a lingering feeling that there could have been more from Philipsen in 2024, at least that is the view of former Paris-Roubaix winner, Johan Vansummeren.

According to the 43-year-old Belgian, Philipsen's training methods in 2024 could have been improved. Vansummeren even comes up with a notable example of the European Championships, where Philipsen's Belgian rival, Tim Merlier emerged victorious in a frantic bunch sprint finale. 

"A sprinter should sprint, not always go on altitude training camps. I think Jasper lost the European Championship in Livigno," Vansummeren assesses, criticising Alpecin-Deceuninck and Philipsen's decision to head to altitude so close to one of his season's big goals. "The only flat roads you find there are between tunnels. It is inevitable that your absolute speed will be blunted, from all that cycling uphill."

Although Philipsen did finish 4th at the European Championships, the Belgian did manage to add one further victory to his palmares before the season was out, emerging on top at the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro on October the 3rd, his 9th win of the season and 51st of his career.