“He has improved enormously and is absolutely formidable” – Jasper Philipsen in no doubt over who will be his main sprint rival in 2026

Jasper Philipsen is heading into 2026 with clarity over the rider he believes will define his sprint season: Jonathan Milan.

Speaking in conversation with La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Alpecin sprinter made no attempt to play down the scale of the challenge ahead, identifying the Italian as the benchmark he expects to be measured against next year.

Philipsen did not hide his admiration for Milan’s leap in performance since joining Lidl-Trek. “He has improved enormously and is absolutely a formidable rival, especially because he is two years younger than me,” he said.

While the two have crossed paths for several seasons, Philipsen suggested the Milan of 2025 was a different rider entirely. “Maybe he didn’t quite hit his stride during his years at Bahrain, but since he joined Lidl-Trek his level has gone up, and that’s good for our rivalry.”

The Belgian is approaching the new campaign with a sense of unfinished business after his 2025 season was disrupted first by a crash at Nokere Koerse and then by the heavy fall that forced him out of the Tour de France. Despite the setbacks, his ambitions remain unchanged.

“My plans will be more or less the same as last year,” he told Gazzetta. “I want to win the Monuments and then I also hope to do well at the Tour de France. And it wouldn’t be bad to win a couple of stages at the Giro…”

His Giro remark would mark a career first — Philipsen has never lined up at Italy’s Grand Tour — but he made clear that sprint targets alone won’t define his season. Balancing explosive bunch finishes with Monument preparation has always been his challenge, and he knows it.

“It’s important to find the right balance before each race,” he said. “If I had the time and the opportunity to concentrate 100% on the sprints, I’d definitely be among the top three.”

With Milan now performing at the highest level and riders like Tim Merlier also winning heavily, Philipsen knows the competition in 2026 will be fierce. But in assessing Milan’s transformation — particularly since joining Lidl-Trek — the Belgian made clear that the Italian is the rival he expects to define the sprint landscape next year.

For Philipsen, that rise in level is enough to set the tone for one of the key battles of the 2026 season: a head-to-head sprint rivalry built on mutual speed, contrasting styles, and Milan’s sudden emergence as one of the most powerful finishers in the world.