In Knokke-Heist, Tim Merlier was still too fast, but a day later Japser Philipsen started banking with the Baloise Belgium Tour.
“Last year’s course was harder than today,” Philipsen told us afterwards. “In the first stage last year, the race was on from the start. Today, it was much clearer that it was going to be a bunch sprint. Like yesterday, the team did an excellent job. I am glad I got the timing right this time and that I was able to finish things. We have a strong team at the start here, so we were definitely aiming for a bunch sprint. Now I can finally thank my teammates with a win.”
For Philipsen, it is the first race since Paris-Roubaix in early April. He has been training for the Baloise Belgium Tour and Tour de France since then. “Obviously, I haven’t been sitting still since the Hell of the North classic. I’ve worked hard searching for my top condition and of course it’s a great pleasure to take a win on my comeback. So, things are definitely going in the right direction, also in the sprint train. Do I come the Basilica to light a candle? No, we do we sometimes stop for a coffee around here when training. Maybe I’ll have to give that a go in the future,” Philipsen laughed.
The Baloise Belgium Tour ends Sunday with a flat stage starting and finishing in Brussels. At the Atomium, Philipsen will get another chance at a second stage win.
