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Jasper Philipsen's defense of his Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne title hits a snag. The Belgian sprinter, fresh off Alpecin-Premier Tech's excitement from Mathieu van der Poel's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad victory, struggles in the final stages. Philipsen takes on an active role early, attempting to form breakaways during the hilly middle section. However, he misses key lead-out man Kaden Groves and runs out of gas when it counts.
Despite dropping competitors like Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), Philipsen finishes a disappointing 18th in the final sprint. "I was quite exhausted in the final stages; it was a tough race," he admits. His hopes for a home victory vanish as he reflects on a challenging race, stating, "My sprint just wasn't quite there." Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne proves a tough day for the defending champion.
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