Jasper Philipsen: Belgium win "a good sign towards the Tour"

Jasper Philipsen won the second stage of the Baloise Belgium Tour on Thursday, it was his fourth win of this season. "It was a very hectic sprint," he said.

"We rode relatively quietly all day. That means that everyone is fresh at the end. That made it difficult to be in a good position in the final, This is a period we have been working towards. I wasn't sure of my form after the altitude training, but it's good. I am satisfied with the form. Hopefully, it's also a good sign towards the Tour," Philipsen said. The second stage of the race was more favourable towards sprinters, and although he survived the explosive racing in the opening day, today the plan worked to perfection.

He also made a comment on the news of Covid cases which is forcing riders to abandon the race or teams to pull out of the event. "It will raise awareness, especially among riders and teams. It would be a pity if someone were to drop out of the race now that the important races are on."

"I don't have to think about it too much myself, You don't see when you get an infection. But it is something to keep in mind," he concluded . His victory has helped him rise in GC rank pushing him to second position in GC behind Mads Pedersen.