Philipsen feels 'targeted' after disqualification: "Fear sprinting on instinct will become more difficult"

When asked, Philipsen briefly reflected on Thursday night. "It was a significant accumulation of disappointments, to say the least. Initially, there's disappointment from not having a good first week and feeling like everything is going against you. But then came those two messages from the jury. I can tell you, I wasn't able to stay positive throughout. Especially because initially, I didn't realize any harm had been done. At no point did I intend to endanger a fellow rider. That's why those decisions hit me so hard."

Initially too disappointed to comment after the race, Philipsen eventually issued two statements and apologies to Van Aert. "After discussions with the team, we felt this was the best course of action. Wout was clearly frustrated, and a sincere apology seemed appropriate. I was pleased that he accepted them immediately."

"Hopefully this closes the chapter now and we can both still have good sprints during this Tour," Philipsen said. "Despite everything, we are still only in the first week of the Tour. We can't turn back time, but I can still influence the future. There are two more opportunities this weekend, including Sunday's gravel stage, which is a bit like Paris-Roubaix. It's guaranteed to be intense right from the start."

Philipsen acknowledges that he is now under scrutiny. "After what happened on Thursday, I do feel targeted. Certainly, worse things have happened in the past. I know I shouldn't hesitate in the upcoming sprint opportunities, but that's easier said than done. So far, I've relied purely on instinct during sprints. I fear that this will become more challenging, and I'll have to be more conscious of my movements during these final sprints," he stated in The Belang van Limburg.