Philipsen on his friendship with Pogacar: 'I don’t think anyone like him has ever existed'

After a turbulent spring, a stint in the yellow jersey during the Tour de France and the crash that followed, the Belgian sprinter hopes 2026 will be a little less chaotic. That, in turn, should help him get back on equal footing with riders such as Jonathan Milan, who enjoyed an exceptional year.

For Philipsen, the goals for 2026 are already clear. Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, he explains: “My plans will be more or less the same as last year. I want to win the Monuments and then I hope to perform well in the Tour de France. And it wouldn’t be bad to win a couple of stages in the Giro…” It would be the first time he starts the race in Italy.

Earlier in the year, a crash at Nokere Koerse already prevented him from fighting for results in the spring Classics. The Tour crash was even more painful. “The crash in the Tour was really bad, which meant I had to abandon and couldn’t win the green jersey. Recovery wasn’t easy, because the damage was considerable. But when you face such an obstacle, you try to be strong and overcome it.”

Returning to form cost the sprinter of Alpecin–Deceuninck sprinter - that will continue as Alpecin-Premier Tech in 2026 -significant effort. “During the recovery phase I had to find a new balance and the right motivation to get back on track. Right after the Tour I was able to switch my mindset quickly, because I wanted to be ready for the Vuelta.” There, he won no fewer than three stages.

In 2025, Philipsen often found himself just a fraction behind riders like Jonathan Milan and Tim Merlier, who dominated many of the sprint finishes. “It’s important to find the right balance before every race, and that’s not always easy, because I mainly want to focus on the Classics. If I had the time and possibility to focus 100% on the sprints, I would certainly be among the top three.”

Looking ahead to 2026, the Belgian keeps a close eye on the Italian who won the green jersey. “He has improved enormously and is definitely a formidable opponent, especially because he is two years younger than I am. Maybe he didn’t fully thrive during his years at Bahrain, but since joining Lidl–Trek his level has gone up, and that’s good for our rivalry.”

Philipsen rides in a close knit team, but has close friendships outside of it too, and Tadej Pogacar is one of his dearest. “Tadej is a friend, it’s always a pleasure to see him and chat. We rarely see each other during the year because we have different calendars. I’m no expert in cycling history, but I don’t think anyone like him has ever existed.”

The world champion enjoys a special status in the peloton, but Philipsen insists that this is not what makes him exceptional. “I think everyone sees him as a god of this sport, even though I know him as a very normal guy. His strength lies in the fact that despite all his success, he stays grounded and enjoys life.”