Getting into level 4 of the Excursion Down Below, Lidl-Trek had 5 riders within the most sensible 18 of the overall classification. Patrick Konrad, 33, was once the workforce’s best-placed in 3rd, because of time bonuses taken within the breakaway on level 2.
It is surprising {that a} rider who simply grew to become 18 closing autumn and is only some months out of the junior ranks generally is a workforce chief in his first WorldTour level race, however Andersen felt the Excursion Down Below was once an ideal proving floor for his compatriot.
“This race here is very good for a young guy, because it’s not long distances, and there’s quite good roads, so it’s not too technical,” Andersen mentioned. “He was really well prepared for this one and mentally ready.”
He wasn’t getting forward of himself in anticipating extra from the teenager down the street, despite the fact that.
“I think this race is a little bit special. It’s WorldTour but it’s the first one, and you cannot really compare it with the WorldTour races in Europe,” he mentioned. “If you prepare well, you will be out there.”
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The soar from junior level races just like the Path de los angeles Paix and Ain Bugey Valromey Excursion, which Philipsen received in 2024, is basically within the high quality of the entire box and the race period.
“It’s junior distance in kilometres. That will change when it comes to the harder races. I think it was a perfect goal for him to have, and he was really excited to come here,” Andersen mentioned.
“To be honest, it was pretty bad,” Philipsen mentioned. “I was way too far behind when we hit the bottom of the climb, it split into a few groups, and I wasn’t in the front. I really had to spend a lot of energy to get back to the front of a race.”
Now 4 phases into racing in a box with a prime stage, Philipsen is having a look ahead to the Willunga Hill end on level 5, the place the street tilting up for the general 3 kilometres may play in his favour.
“I feel like tomorrow should suit me really well. So I hope I have a good day and can make a difference.”
Making it over the climbs with the leaders when it is all kicking off wasn’t Philipsen’s most effective inexperienced second. New laws most effective permitting roadside feeds within the designated feed zones can have supposed he needed to shuttle in the course of the convoy for water.
Andersen defined that the previous junior international champion wasn’t aware of the method. “The first thing he said in the meeting when he started the race was, ‘I have never picked up bottles from the car’,” Andersen smiles.
Thankfully, he was once a secure chief, particularly after donning the white jersey following the harsh level 3 to Uraidla, and did not must fetch bottles for himself or his teammates.Â
“Here, he will not do it, but these are the things that we come up against when we have all these junior riders coming in, they are not used to it. He’s projected here, so he will not do it, but later on, we need to work on that.”
