Wout van Aert still has not received personal apology from Jasper Philipsen: "I tried to talk to him in the peloton, but he wasn’t interested"

It is with no surprise to know that a few sprinters in the peloton are not happy with Jasper Philipsen's way of riding, but the truth is some are also awaiting apologies. No other than Wout van Aert says that he has yet to receive a personal apology following the dangerous move of the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider a few days ago.

The incident happened on stage 6. This was the day Philipsen was relegated in the final sprint after moving his line in the final sprint and endangering van Aert against the barriers, who only avoided a fall because he braked mid-sprint. "That’s a bad habit of his," van Aert said following that sprint. "Am I angry? I'm mostly happy that I stayed upright". 

The Belgian said that "I try to be an honest sprinter and I have no intention of hindering other riders and certainly not endangering them" in an apology shared over Instagram by the team, in which he also referred to van Aert: "I want to apologize to Wout, it was in no way my intention to hinder him or push him towards the fences".

But the story has not ended here. Van Aert replied to that apology on social media accepting it but the most important was a face-to-face talk in the peloton. As luck would have it, yesterday's stage 10 would see the peloton ride together for start to finish. But despite all the days that have passed, Philipsen has not yet given a personal apology.

"I read his apologies on Instagram, but I haven't received a personal apology. That's not how I would have handled it," van Aert said in words to Het Laatste Nieuws. "I tried to talk to him in the peloton, but he wasn’t interested". Philipsen ended up winning yesterday's stage whilst van Aert was fourth in the finale; but the two are certain to meet again in the next sprints.