'The list is done' - Alpecin–Premier Tech tick off final Flemish box

“Gent-Wevelgem was our last race to win,” team boss Christoph Roodhooft said to WielerFlits. “In five years we have now won them all, so the list is done."

Roodhooft pointed to both individual execution and collective strength when reflecting on how the race unfolded.

“It is a beautiful win, especially for Jasper,” he said. “His spring is successful now. And for us as a team it was very nice to see what Mathieu did up front and then how Jasper finished it off. That was really impressive.”

The race scenario played into the team’s hands, with numbers in the chasing group and Mathieu van der Poel up the road. “We were still there with three riders in that group and we had Mathieu in front,” Roodhooft said. “For these kinds of races, I think we have the perfect team.”

An early move featuring Van der Poel raised eyebrows, but internally the decision making was clear. “It was not the first time for us,” Roodhooft explained. “Mathieu has been in that position before. This time we discussed it and for him it was more than okay that we would come back.”

With the race reset, the team shifted fully towards delivering Jasper Philipsen, who finished the job.

Step back and it becomes clear how much ground Alpecin–Premier Tech have covered in a relatively short time. In the space of a few seasons (... - 2026), they have worked their way through the full Flemish calendar.

Looking at the full Belgian spring calendar only two boxes remain unticked, and they sit firmly in the Ardennes. Liège–Bastogne–Liège and La Flèche Wallonne are still missing, highlighting how the team’s long term build has not been geared towards hillier classics, even if Mathieu van der Poel has shown he can be competitive in his limited appearances, including sixth in 2020 and third in 2024.

In an era defined by Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel and with emerging talents like Paul Seixas and Isaac Del Toro coming through, that next milestone is likely to stay out of reach for now.