Jasper Philipsen showed he is still the best sprinter in the world by dominating stage 2 of Tirreno-Adriatico, and his speed and Classics potential make him one of the most sought out riders on the transfer market for 2025.
The 26-year-old Belgian won four stages at the 2023 Tour de France and the green points jersey. He has often dovetailed perfectly with Alpecin-Deceuninck teammate Mathieu van der Poel and they will be a powerful combination at this year’s Milan-San Remo, in the cobbled Classics and again at the Tour. Philipsen’s contract ends this year, however, making him one of the market movers for 2025.
Philipsen is logically keen to maximise his earnings and he confirmed after his sprint win in Follonica that he has hired well-known Italian agent Alex Carera to represent him in contract negotiations with Alpecin-Deceuninck and any other teams that are interested in signing him.
“I think I reached a point where I think it’s useful to have an agent. I’ve known Alex Carera a long time and have a good relationship with him and that’s why I started working together,” Philipsen revealed.
Cyclingnews understands that Philipsen is hoping to secure a four-year contract for 2025-2028, when the world road race championships will be held in Abu Dhabi and surely suit the sprinters.
Van der Poel is Alpecin-Deceuninck’s big-name leader and has a contract until at least 2025. Alpecin-Deceuninck team managers Christoph and Philip Roodhooft will have to carefully calculate if they are able and willing to match the many offers Philipsen and Carera are likely to receive in the next few months or let him move to a rival team.
Considering current market rates, Philipsen is perhaps worth between €2 and 3 million per season.
Philipsen is more than a pure sprinter. He won Scheldeprijs in 2021 and 2023, Eschborn-Frankfurt in 2021 and the Classic Brugge-De Panne in 2023, and he placed second at Paris-Roubaix last year.
After making a late season debut at last week’s Opening Weekend, Philipsen is using Tirreno-Adriatico to peak for Milan-San Remo and the spring Classics. He believes he is still on a journey of development in the Classics.
“I think my strength is sprinting but I’m also improving in some way in the Classics. We’ll see how far I can go,” he said in Follonica.
“The first part of the season is focused on the Classics, and I hope to have a nice sprint win here and there. My absolute best talent is sprinting, there’s no doubt about that.”
Van der Poel will make his road racing debut at Milan-San Remo after his successful cyclocross campaign and a block of training in Spain. He won La Classicissima in 2023 with an attack over the top of the Poggio during his magical season that also included victories at Paris-Roubaix and the world championships in Glasgow.
Van der Poel will surely have leadership status for Milan-San Remo, but Philipsen is an excellent alternative, if the sprinters can prevail and control any attacks.
“Milan-San Remo is a target for sure, it's the only Monument that I maybe have a chance of winning,” Philipsen said.
“You need to go for it but also be realistic. If we look at how Tadej Pogacar raced at Strade Bianche, the hopes of a guy like me going over the Poggio with him are pretty slim.
“Mathieu is capable of attacking and finishing things off himself but if we’re in a group, for sure there is the scenario that he leads out the sprint for me.
“The only realistic way to win Milan- San Remo is to be in a group of 20 or 30 riders going and that’s pretty tough these days.”
