Philipsen builds confidence in Baloise Belgium Tour: “Good timing is crucial”

Jasper Philipsen returned to winning ways with a hard-fought sprint victory on Stage 2 of the Baloise Belgium Tour, just his second win of the 2025 season. As the countdown to the Tour de France enters its final fortnight, the Alpecin–Deceuninck sprinter is hoping that a weekend of racing in the Ardennes will sharpen his form both mentally and physically.

“That way I can gain extra condition and toughness for the Tour,” he told Het Nieuwsblad, outlining his intention to go deep on Saturday’s hilly stage.

Philipsen has good memories of this terrain. In 2024, he surprised many by holding firm in the Ardennes stage to Durbuy and finishing third, before sealing fourth place in the final general classification. Once again, he is adopting a pragmatic approach: “I will now race with an open mind again, even though I know that there are other riders who can handle that terrain more easily.

"Experience has taught me that with a view to the first Tour week, it can't hurt to gain extra fitness and toughness by racing along at full speed. That's what I'm going to do.”

The Belgian sprinter will arrive at the Tour with unfinished business. In 2024, he lost the green jersey to Biniam Girmay, an outcome that marked a changing of the guard in the points classification but left Philipsen hungry to reclaim his title in 2025.

His morale appears to be improving at the right time. He was upbeat after Friday’s time trial, won by Ethan Hayter in surprising fashion ahead of Filippo Ganna. For Philipsen, the experience held more than just athletic value. “They clearly still remember me here,” he said, alluding to his local ties to the region.

Now the question is whether Philipsen can back up Friday’s performance with strong results over the weekend. Saturday’s Ardennes-style stage will be a physical test, but Sunday’s finale in Brussels offers a more traditional sprint opportunity, albeit not one without complications.

“That is possible,” Philipsen said when asked if he could win again this weekend. “But in Brussels we have a difficult sprint ahead of us. One that does not suit me 100 percent. The line is drawn after a bend. Good timing is crucial. But I will do my utmost. Will I succeed? Then I will gain extra confidence with a view to the upcoming assignments.”

Those upcoming assignments, of course, include the biggest race of the year. Philipsen is widely expected to headline Alpecin–Deceuninck’s Tour de France squad, alongside Mathieu van der Poel, with ambitions of stage wins and the points jersey. After a comparatively quiet spring in terms of wins, a late build up of condition and confidence could be the final piece in Philipsen’s Tour puzzle.