"I never thought I would become anything like a GC rider" - Jasper Philipsen wins his second stage race of the season
Cycling
Jasper Philipsen left no doubt about who's the main protagonist at Renewi Tour as he won the final stage, alongside an overall title. For the Belgian, it was his third stage win in this year's edition, sending a clear message to his rivals for the rest of this season.
Philipsen rose from chaos
It is fair to note that a number of Philipsen's sprinter opponents have been involved in crashes across the previous days, clearing the path for Philipsen to shine in Ardooie, Bilzen-Hoeselt, and finally in Leuven today. In general classification, that means that Philipsen wins with ahead of Jenno Berckmoes and Olav Kooij.
"The team was motivated for the overall victory," Philipsen appreciated his Alpecin-Premier Tech teammates' efforts. "Everyone did their best and rode for all they were worth. It is great that we were able to control the race and then finish it off in the sprint."
Read also
Philipsen did not finish outside the top-4 in a single stage. A positive signal to the last part of the season. "I should check the statistics sometime, but this is certainly one of my better weeks on the bike. That is absolutely true."
Birth of new GC star?
This is already Philipsen's second GC victory of 2026. In June, he prevailed at another Belgian stage race; the Baloise Belgium Tour (2.Pro). Though a sprinter by nature, Philipsen's versatility allows him to compete in similar stage races, and perhaps he'll focus on this aspect of racing a bit more in the future.
"I never thought I would become anything like a general classification rider, but maybe I should adjust that ambition a bit. Maybe a five-day stage race without a time trial is made for me."
For a sprinter, he considers two overall victories in short stage races remarkable. "It is unique to be able to win my first two stage races in the general classification. As a sprinter, that is certainly not easy."
It's also an important victory for sponsors of the Belgian team. "That is of great importance, both for the team and for myself. In this form, it is naturally a bit more enjoyable to head into the next race."
Next on the menu is the Bretagne Classic on coming Sunday. With World Championships and European Championships too difficult for Philipsen, there's no clear objective left in 2026, and Philipsen himself admits that he's going to savor this victory a little before moving on to future appointments with notable ease of mind.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Yes, Roglic could theoretically have beaten Sepp. Jonas must have had complete confidence that he could come back and win the Vuelta another year. Visma had not allowed Roglic to ride the Tour that year, so his future did not look so bright, despite his narrow Giro win..Hills3315-11-2026
- So far, a good series about riders before my time, even if the text feels AI generated like so much on this site. About the rider, he seems like one of many who are active fan favorites but don’t survive in the stories of cycling, a few decades later - I didn’t really know anything about him and this was a good read, thank you!RidesHills15-11-2026
- A calm, honest documentary, a bit of hagiography but mostly not too much. When he talks about a coffee shop, it aligns with several things in his world - he might want calm, but he does (more than a little bit) have someone near him (his fiancee) who makes sure that things happen the way he expects. Many atheletes have retired only to find out just how much others were taking care of their lives for them. If they work out (I'm old, things happen), I am sure it will take a renegotiation, which is a good thing. I truly enjoyed watching it, seeing him, seeing her, seeing the whole system built around him.RidesHills15-11-2026
- You do? My mother grew up around Bleiburg (Pliberk), across the border in Austria . My grandparents lived close to the train station in Bleiburg, and I spent a lot of the 70s and 80s there. The "Jugo" train of my youth went to Dravograd or Maribor, exotic places (behind the wall) at the time. What a moment that was, the 10 days war of '91 - times sure have changed.RidesHills15-11-2026
- I hope he rides a bitmij15-11-2026
- Greatest athlete this world has ever produced ! LOL ... you definitely are a comdian ! Cycling is so sprecialized and you think he's the greatest athlete ever ! Still laughing !frieders315-11-2026
- b.s. headline. Jonas wasn't told anything, it is just a pundit telling him what to do. the actual article is not even close to the insinuation of the headline.mij15-11-2026
- I think Roglic could have beaten Sepp. not Jonas. I was referring to Sepp.mij15-11-2026
- I'm deeply sick of this guy and his unwillingness to race seriously for more than a month or two. I'll never respect riders who do that. Seixas will be stronger than him next season, and maybe Del Toro as well. I don't even think he'll finish on the podium at any GT where Pogi, Seixas, and Del Toro are racing.megasmacky15-11-2026
- Not a chance in hell.megasmacky15-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment