"Mostly a lot of downs" - Jasper Philipsen balances on a disappointing season

Jasper Philipsen lived his dream when he won the opening stage of Tour de France in Lille and got to wear yellow jersey for a day. But that dream quickly disappeared in front of his eyes as Philipsen was forced to abandon the race after crashing in stage 3. A hard blow in whatever has been already a miserable season.

Looking to next goals, the schedule of the Alpecin-Deceuninck sprinter is empty - the Tour should've been the peak of his year.... "Maybe the Vuelta, but we still have to see if that's feasible. It hasn't been discussed yet. If you don't do anything for a week, you quickly lose a lot of fitness," Philipsen told Het Laatste Nieuws.

"It's clear the biggest goals of the season are behind me. The upcoming races are good, but they're not at the same level as before. It will be hard to prepare myself, mentally and physically, for them... I'll get back on track eventually."

On paper, Philipsen's results this year sound more than decent, but the Belgian aimed for much more than just a Tour de France stage, Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne and Belgium Tour stage. "Every rider has a bad season at some point in their career; let's hope this is mine. But it's not pleasant. There have been some good ups this year, but mostly a lot of downs."

"I broke one or two ribs, but they were secondary to the doctors. The fractures are very clean and they don't bother me much, only when I cough," Philipsen continues. "My collarbone fracture is much more complex. That's where I was in the most pain, but since yesterday, I can manage without painkillers, and I feel pretty good now."

"The road rash and abrasions are also healing well. Almost my entire back was open – in the past, that always used to bother me for a long time, but it's been a week, and the injuries have mostly healed. I think that's because I was in top form, which always helps you heal faster, and also because I took it easy for a week."