Jasper Philipsen urged to show patience at Tour de France by Alpecin-Deceuninck

Jasper Philipsen has been told to keep his head down and wait his moment at the 2026 Tour de France.

Alpecin-Deceuninck’s team management urged the Belgian sprinter to show patience in the opening stages after Philipsen finished outside the top 10 in the first two bunch sprints. The squad stressed that a strong late surge-not early fireworks-will define his campaign.

On stage one in Florence, Philipsen crossed the line 11th in a chaotic finale won by Fabio Jakobsen. The next day in Rimini, he finished 13th in another bunch gallop, this time taken by Jasper Stuyven. Both results left Philipsen well off the pace in the green jersey competition, where Philipsen has targeted stage wins rather than the overall classification.

Philipsen arrived in Italy as one of the pre-race favorites for the sprinters’ jersey. But the Belgian’s early struggles have forced Alpecin-Deceuninck to reset expectations. Team boss Philip Roodaert told reporters that Philipsen’s best chance lies in the final week, where the Tour’s hilly run-ins could suit his punchier finish.

And the squad’s message is clear: Philipsen must avoid burning energy in fights he can’t win. The team’s data shows he’s losing ground in the intermediate sprints, where rivals like Dylan Groenewegen and Olav Kooij are gaining time. Philipsen’s lead-out train has also looked ragged, with last-gasp swerves costing him vital positions.

The next realistic chance for Philipsen comes on stage five in Lucca, where a flat finish could hand him a shot at redemption. Roodaert said the plan remains unchanged: Philipsen will target one stage win, not the green jersey, and focus on peaking when the race hits the Alps.

But the pressure is on. If Philipsen fails to deliver in the next 10 days, questions will grow over whether Alpecin-Deceuninck’s gamble on a late surge can pay off. The team insists it’s the right call-but the clock is ticking.