Philipsen was third in the Aarschot sprint behind Kooij and Merlier, but the bonus seconds he collected proved the most consequential outcome of the day for the standings: they lifted him to second overall at just two seconds off Aranburu. Having survived the Durbuy queen stage well enough to stay in GC range, he is the best-placed of the fast men with one stage to come.

• Third in the bunch sprint; bonus seconds moved him to second on GC

Philipsen was in the front group for the Knokke-Heist sprint but had to settle for third behind Merlier and Kooij. The bonus seconds he collected kept him in touch on GC and would prove valuable once the harder stages reshuffled the standings.

• Third in the bunch sprint, picked up minor time bonus

Philipsen has been the smartest sprinter on GC, taking a stage 2 third and a stage 4 third while surviving the Durbuy queen stage well enough to stay in overall range. The bonus seconds from his consistent finishes lifted him to second overall, two seconds behind Aranburu — the best-placed fast man heading into the final stage.

• Stage 4: third in Aarschot, bonus seconds to second on GC

Philipsen kept his composure through a finale of crashes, rain and a breakaway that wouldn't die. With the escape caught inside the final kilometre, he sat on Van Poppel's lead-out and came over the top in the reduced sprint to take the win on wet Copenhagen streets, denying the Danish home crowd.

• 1 kmTracked Van Poppel's lead-out, then came over the top to win the reduced sprint

The fastest sprinter in the race, in lieutenant kit. Philipsen's job was to shepherd Van der Poel into the final hour and, if the race somehow stayed bunched into the velodrome, finish it. Neither half of that plan survived Arenberg. His own bike was briefly commandeered by Van der Poel before being deemed too small. After that the Alpecin selection fragmented and Philipsen never reconnected with the front of the race.

• 95 kmVan der Poel briefly took his bike during the Arenberg puncture sequence — abandoned because too small

Alpecin moved to the front inside the final kilometre to launch him, but Philipsen couldn't hold off Merlier and faded to eighth in the reduced bunch. A flat finish that nominally suited him, undone by the crash-hit, chaotic run-in.

• 1 kmAlpecin set up the lead-out at the front

Alpecin's sprint plan B; never had a bunch sprint to contest with the leaders going clear early.

Won the bunch sprint after Van der Poel's three-man move was caught in the final 500 metres. Repeat performance on the race that suits him better than any other Belgian classic.

• 0.2 kmWon bunch sprint after late catch

Second to Groenewegen in a flat coastal bunch sprint. Won Gent-Wevelgem four days later from the same kind of finish.

Held as the bunch-sprint card behind Van der Poel's Poggio attack. The Cipressa selection meant no bunch sprint ever formed; he finished in the second group.

Won the uphill cobbled sprint to Nokere, holding his speed up the Nokereberg to come over the top ahead of Meeus and Molano. A confidence-building win in the heart of Flemish week and a sharpening of the Alpecin lead-out ahead of the cobbled Monuments.

• 0.2 kmHeld top-end speed up the Nokereberg drag to take the win

Philipsen got into the sprint mix on stage 1 (fourth) but could not match Magnier and Meeus, using the Algarve mainly as early-season preparation for the cobbled classics.

• Stage 1 — 4th in the bunch sprint

Philipsen was in the mix but could not get on terms with Magnier and Meeus, taking fourth at the same time as the bunch. A solid early-season hit-out rather than a result for the Alpecin sprinter.

• Fourth in the bunch sprint, same time as the leaders