Jasper Philipsen has spoken candidly about the driving force behind his ambitions, saying that training closely with Mathieu van der Poel remains a major source of inspiration as he gears up for the 2026 Classics with Paris-Roubaix at the centre of his goals. In an interview with Het Nieuwsblad, the Alpecin–Deceuninck sprinter looked back on a 2025 season marked by significant victories, serious crashes, and a determined comeback late in the year.
From winter camps in Spain to the emotional magnetism of Roubaix and the disappointment of leaving the Tour de France early, Philipsen offered an honest account of the highs and lows that shaped both his season and his mindset for the future.
Training with Van der Poel and shifting gears between the Classics and the Tour
Philipsen explained that winter training with Van der Poel continually pushes him to a higher level, their natural competitiveness lifting the intensity. “It’s easy to put in a lot of hours in Spain,” he said. “The weather’s great, the company’s great. Training together really motivates me, and we also have fun. Sometimes it turns into a contest one of us pulls half a wheel ahead, the other responds, and suddenly we’re taking turns like it’s a race.”
He also noted how challenging it is to switch from the Classics build-up to the very different demands of sprint preparation once spring is over. “As a sprinter, you have to train either very gently or extremely hard,” he said. “With that strict contrast, you end up working more on your own. You have to protect your training much more carefully even though I really love the social side of cycling.”
Roubaix passion and the emotional weight of the velodrome
Philipsen made it clear that Paris-Roubaix continues to loom large in his ambitions. He has finished second there twice, and he sees the race as a fundamental part of who he is. “It’s a race I truly live for. I’m passionate about it, and I get emotional just thinking about it,” he said. “I started cycling for races like Roubaix. They suit my DNA and the DNA of the team.”
For him, motivation is built on clarity of purpose. “To get up every morning and put on your training clothes, you need something to aim for otherwise it gets hard. That race gives me that purpose.”
From early Tour triumph to painful withdrawal and Vuelta rebound
Philipsen acknowledged that his opening-stage win at the Tour and brief spell in the yellow jersey made his stage-three crash even tougher to accept.
“I was in a lot of pain and full of medication, so I barely remember those first hours,” he said. “The next day I woke up and found myself watching the race on TV a race where I still had so many ambitions. You can’t help thinking: I should be out there. That’s really difficult.”
Despite undergoing surgery and having little time to recover, he returned to claim the opening stage of the Vuelta and three victories in total. “You rethink your goals, and suddenly you’re winning stage one and taking the red jersey,” he said. “Once again, the team was incredibly strong around me.”
A renewed outlook for 2026
Philipsen is already laying the groundwork for next season, with his partnership with Van der Poel, his Roubaix obsession, and a refined sprint programme all shaping his winter.
And through all the ups and downs, he feels secure in the system around him. “We’ve built a culture around preparing for these races,” he said. “Mathieu and I inspire each other a lot.”
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