"Everything had to fall into place and today it was for us" - Jasper Philipsen sky high with breakthrough second place at Paris-Roubaix and Alpecin-Deceuninck domination

Jasper Philipsen had shown promise. He won the Classic Brugge-De Panne and rode to fourth at Dwars door Vlaanderen. He was motivated and in-form, and his preparation for the classics was proven today as he stormed to a shocking second place on the road.

“We wouldn't have dared to dream this, but it will stay with me for a long time. We can be very satisfied with the team. We are proud of ourselves. Everything had to fall into place and today it was for us. That is very beautiful," Philipsen said in a post-race interview. This was right after he crossed the line in second place, celebrating the victory of his own teammate Mathieu van der Poel.

The Belgian was an outsider for the cobbled classic but few expected him to be within the fight for the race. However he was in the Pedersen/Ganna group when the race blew up before Arenberg, and then joined the leading group. By no means did he ride conservatively until the final kilometers, even whilst Mathieu van der Poel attacked several times. At Carefour de l'Arbre as his teammate rode solo off the front, the Belgian stuck to covering attacks and disorganizing the chase.

“Mathieu and I get along very well. I am happy to give something back in his race. I felt really good and could counter everything, and I'm glad I could play my part in this way," he details. "I was still relatively fresh in Wout's wheel in the final. I had a good chance to win the sprint, but after 260 kilometers no sprint is easy anymore. I place this achievement very highly. Certainly the way with the team. This is an achievement we will remember for a long time.”

Philipsen was the only one to match a flying Wout van Aert, who lost his chances of fighting for the win with a late puncture. The Alpecin-Deceuninck sprinter celebrated as he witnessed van der Poel win Roubaix in front of him, and in the next lap he sprinted to second. A brilliant performance, and also one that promises for the future after the performances he's put in this spring.

“One day… I still have years to go. I'm going to enjoy this performance first now. This is something that will stay with me to cross the line in such a way that I can see Mathieu cheering. And then sprinting for the podium yourself, that is unique," he concluded.