Philipsen: “I Get Emotional Thinking About Paris-Roubaix” — Sprinter Puts Speed Aside for Cobblestone Dream
Jasper Philipsen has never hidden his feelings about Paris-Roubaix. The Belgian, widely regarded as the fastest pure sprinter in the peloton, admits the Hell of the North stirs something in him that bunch finishes simply cannot. “I started racing for races like Paris-Roubaix,” Philipsen told Het Nieuwsblad. “It’s a race I’m very passionate about, and I even get emotional thinking about Paris-Roubaix.”
That raw sentiment helps explain why the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider has once again restructured his entire spring campaign around the cobbles rather than chasing sprint victories. For the second consecutive season, Philipsen has sacrificed early-season wins to peak for April and the monuments that define cycling’s hardest month. “In 2026 we’ll follow the same plan: I want to be a Classics rider in the first part of the season and focus my training around that,” he confirmed at the team’s pre-season camp.
The numbers support the ambition. Philipsen finished second at Paris-Roubaix in both 2023 and 2024, beaten only by teammate Mathieu van der Poel on both occasions. He added a Milan-San Remo victory in 2024 to prove his credentials extend far beyond the sprint train. The question that haunts his spring is whether he can translate consistently elite performances into the one result that would redefine his career: a cobblestone Monument of his own.
The challenge this Sunday is daunting. Philipsen must contend not only with Van der Poel’s pursuit of a record-equalling fourth consecutive Roubaix victory, but also with Tadej Pogacar’s relentless quest to complete the Monument Grand Slam. With Wout van Aert and Mads Pedersen also in the mix, Philipsen faces perhaps the deepest field of Roubaix contenders in modern history.
Yet Alpecin-Deceuninck’s tactical flexibility gives Philipsen options that other teams lack. With Van der Poel attracting the bulk of rival attention, Philipsen has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to exploit moments of confusion in the finale. His raw power on the cobbles — 1,600 watts at peak — means he can follow the accelerations of the very best, and his sprint finish is the most lethal weapon in the race should it come down to a small group in the Roubaix Vélodrome.
The Belgian’s spring has been one of quiet accumulation. While the headlines have belonged to Pogacar’s three-for-three Monument run and Van der Poel’s four-peat bid, Philipsen has steadily built form through the Classics without burning matches in pursuit of early wins. It is the same patient strategy that carried him to the Roubaix podium twice before — and this time, he believes the step to the top is within reach.
“The team is pushing me more towards the Classics, and I love it,” Philipsen said. For a rider who grew up dreaming of the cobbles of northern France, Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix represents far more than a bike race. It is the fulfilment of everything he entered the sport to achieve.