"When you have Jasper Philipsen & Mathieu van der Poel in the team, the rest excel" - Loyal Alpecin-Deceuninck domestique on impact of superstar leaders

The Alpecin-Deceuninck team had another successful season in 2024, winning the first three Monuments of the campaign through superstar leadership duo Jasper Philipsen and Mathieu van der Poel. At Paris-Roubaix, the pair even crossed the line in a one-two for the second successive year.

For loyal domestique Edward Planckaert, Paris-Roubaix 2024 was a day that will live very long in the memory. "For me it was a day when everything fell into place. In terms of condition, in terms of confidence, in terms of the course of the race," the Belgian recalls of the success in conversation with Wieler Revue. "I wouldn't say it was my best day on the bike ever, but it just all went well."

After four seasons at Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise, Planckaert got his big move to Alpecin-Deceuninck back in 2021. Since then, the Belgian feels he has improved leaps and bounds. "I've become twice as good since I've been riding for Alpecin-Deceuninck. Not only am I developing, but I'm also riding with the best riders in the world, like Mathieu and Jasper," he explains. "To be fair, it just works when you ride with such top riders. When you have such riders in the team, the rest excel."

"Everyone knew that Mathieu would accelerate somewhere on a strip. I saw that breakaway on Orchies afterwards and thought: phenomenal, you can only enjoy this," continues Planckaert, recalling the race itself. "The last thing I heard was that Mathieu was thirty seconds ahead, but that was already crackling and with noise on the connection. Timo Kielich and I were in the same group. We really wanted to reach the finish. I talked about it with Timo, but I didn't ask around at other teams or anything."

In the end, Planckaert did finish the race, crossing the line in 45th position, just over eight minutes down on his team leader and race winner Mathieu van der Poel.