Throughout the race, the TV cameras caught shots of Philipsen alongside his good friend and trade teammate at
Alpecin-Deceuninck,
Mathieu van der Poel. Post-race, the Belgian was quizzed on just what these discussions were about with his rival on the day. "What did I tell him? I tried to bribe him for a lead-out," Philipsen jokes. "No, just kidding. Not much was said. Mathieu rode his race."
Despite a number of attacks from Van der Poel and others throughout the day, it was in the end, a bunch sprint that decided things. With Philipsen being led out by Jordi Meeus, things looked good a few hundred metres from the line, but ultimately, it wasn't to be.
"In a sprint, you never know how it will go. I did not have the best legs, but in a sprint everything can change. I started, but Tim and Olav (Kooij) came very quickly. I can't blame myself for anything," Philipsen concludes his post-race assessment. "Of course I'm happy for Tim. He is definitely the deserved winner and he was the fastest today. And he is also driving a very strong season. Tim is a fair winner."