Jasper Philipsen "still living on a cloud" after Milano-Sanremo glory

Jasper Philipsen returns to racing today at Classic Brugge-De Panne, for the first time since claiming victory at Milano-Sanremo last weekend.

"Milano-Sanremo is certainly a very nice race to win. It's a dream come true. I may still be living on a cloud, but today I'm back on course," reflected the Belgian sprint star in his pre-race interview, playing down his celebrations. "We have kept it relatively quiet with a view to the races to come.”

A battle of some of the best sprinters in the world, Classic Brugge-De Panne is another opportunity for a big win for Philipsen. “Today I expect a slightly quieter race, but that is in principle not bad for what is to come on Sunday,” he says, alluding to the upcoming Gent Wevelgem.

“A sprint seems inevitable to me and that is certainly something we can do well. We will start with a strong team. I'm looking forward to doing a sprint," he concludes. “This is a race of WorldTour level. It is a bit similar to the Scheldeprijs, but it is ranked a little higher because it is a higher category. A lot of fast guys are motivated to win today.”