Van der Poel and Philipsen to form a tandem for Alpecin-Premier Tech at the Tour de France

Alpecin-Premier Tech is once again relying on its trusted duo for the Tour de France. Mathieu van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen will lead the Belgian team at the 2206 Grande Boucle. The goal is to secure the yellow jersey in the first week, with plenty of opportunities for stage wins.

Van der Poel (who announced this Monday that he is going to be a father) has won two stages in his five Tour appearances, but really shone last year. Philipsen has already had more success: the Belgian sprinter has won no fewer than ten stages and clinched the green jersey back in 2023. This year, the 28-year-old from Mol is aiming for the same again, while his Dutch teammate will take on more of a wildcard role. Of course, he’ll also be on hand to help out in the sprint train.

With Edward Planckaert and Jonas Rickaert, we see some familiar names supporting Philipsen. The two Belgians are an integral part of the lead-out train and will continue to fulfill that role in the upcoming Tour. Silvan Dillier will serve as the breakaway captain and will also set the pace like a steam train during the first few hours of the race. But beyond that, there are more mavericks on the starting line for Alpecin-Premier Tech.

Tim Marsman is the most surprising name on the roster. The Dutchman was still riding for the continental VolkerWessels team last year, but he’s making a great impression this year. He finished fifteenth at the Dutch National Championships and has also become a key player in the sprint train. He had previously indicated that he was eager to join the team. So the selection will be very well received by the rookie.

With Emiel Verstrynge and Ramses Debruyne, Alpecin-Premier Tech will be bringing along two more riders who can make their mark in the hills and high mountains. Verstrynge made his Tour debut last year and had an excellent race. This year, he has already finished fifth in the Amstel Gold Race and fourth in Liège–Bastogne–Liège. Debruyne demonstrated his excellent climbing ability with a 13th-place finish in the Tour Auvergne–Rhône-Alpes (and a second-place finish in the opening stage).