As Alpecin-Deceuninck regroups after Jasper Philipsen’s race
ending crash on stage 3 of the Tour de France, Adrie van der Poel offered an empathetic
perspective in an interview with Cyclism’Actu, acknowledging the team’s
disappointment while emphasising the unpredictable nature of the sport.
Philipsen, who had been one of the stars of the opening
weekend with a stage win and time in yellow, was forced to abandon after a
crash during the intermediate sprint left him with a broken collarbone and rib.
He has since undergone surgery, and the team confirmed he’s on the road to
recovery.
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“I know he's in the hospital, that's all. No, there's no
anger, it's simply a work accident, there's nothing we can do,” said Van der
Poel. “The main problem is Jasper, how he's going to get through it, that's the
most important thing.”
Despite a strong start to the race, the team was dealt a
harsh reminder of how quickly fortunes can shift. “It's racing: sometimes it's
good luck and sometimes it's bad luck. These things happen, unfortunately,” he
said.
Van der Poel, who followed up Philipsen’s win with a victory
of his own on stage 2, now carries more of the team’s ambitions heading into
stage 4. But Adrie van der Poel suggested that his son’s focus may still be
with his injured teammate.
“I think that right now, Mathieu van der Poel is thinking
more about Jasper than his yellow jersey. After two great days, there's a bit
of sadness now,” he explained.
What was expected to be a relatively calm third stage
instead turned into one of the most chaotic days of the Tour so far, leading to
a shift in morale across the peloton. “It was the easiest stage normally, after
the two days,” Van der Poel said, adding that “there are a lot of teams who
don't want to anymore ride.”
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as 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. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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