'I'm better at time trialling than road races,' says sought-after Albert Philipsen

Danish youngster speaks to GCN as his name continues to be linked with the biggest WorldTour teams

18:30, Saturday 25th November 2023

Gianluca Suardi

Digital Content Manager

Albert Philipsen may play down his road credentials, but he won the Junior World Championships Road Race in Glasgow earlier this year

Last Sunday, at the A&J All Sports agency event in Italy, amongst the likes of Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek), there was also the real breakthrough rider of the 2023 season, Albert Philipsen. The 17-year-old Dane is one of the most talented cyclists on the planet and this year was able to win three Junior World Championship titles - road race, time trial and mountain bike cross-country.

“This season passed my expectations.” Philipsen exclusively told GCN. “When I started the year my goal was to win the World Championships in mountain bike and road. It was pretty ambitious goals I set for myself being a first year junior, so accomplishing those goals was pretty crazy”.

The super-talented Dane in 2023 also signed two important contracts with Canyon CLLCTV - for mountain biking and cyclocross - and with Tscherning Cycling Academy for road cycling, but a lot of road WorldTour teams have already set their sights on him for the near future.

He wants to keep being a multifaceted rider, able to grow and be competitive in more than one discipline. “I think next year I will focus a bit more on the road, so my main priority will be the road, but I'll keep riding in mountain bike and also in cyclocross”.

On the road this year he was able to prove himself as the best junior in both road races and time trials, but his favourite of the two disciplines is the former.

“My favourite are the road races, it’s more fun," Philipsen admitted. "Right now I would say that I'm better at trial trialling because it is more about steady pace and not so tactical, and my tactical skills are something that I'm really working on as I got into road cycling a bit late”.

Many within cycling, including Philipsen himself, are trying to understand what kind of road rider he will become in the coming seasons. “I’m still trying to figure out what I would like my end goal to be, because I'm a bit in between as a rider type.” said the 17-year-old. “Right now my goal is to be the best all-rounder in the world.”

Riders across all disciplines will be highly influenced by the Paris Olympics next season, which will take place between July and August, but the sensational Dane will not take part because at that time he will still be 17, so too young to participate. Despite that, he already has eyes on the next Olympic Games; Los Angeles 2028.

“Coming from mountain biking, the races I dream to win are always the Olympics and the World Champs, that’s probably some of my goals that I have for the future”.

In terms of inspirations, Philipsen has several, but his favourite is a rider he just met just minutes before our chat, at the event hosted by Alex and Johnny Carera.

“I would say I look a lot to the guys who mix a lot in the disciplines, like Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert and Tom Pidcock, but my favourite guy in the road side is Tadej Pogačar, and today is the first time I met him in person, so that also pretty wild for me”.