Everyone and every rider can have a bad day. Of course it's a shame if that lesser day falls on the day of an important competition. However, Olivier Philippaerts says it's important took keep learning from your mistakes: "It's important that you know how to lose".
Olivier Philippaerts: "Of course it's nice to win but it's important that you learn how to lose as well. In our sport you will not win as often as you will lose. You have to learn to accept this and you will have to realize that it will not always be possible to take the victory home. If you can't do that, things will be though. You will know ups and downs in your career, even at the highest level. People don't always understand thing, but even top riders are going to more difficult times. The last couple of years, I had to take sometimes a step back as well; I fell a few times, I've known some lesser days... Right now I'm just using those experiences to become even stronger. I've learned from my mistakes and I've let them behind. I don't think about them anymore and I try to do better next time. If you keep living in the past, your future will be more difficult".
Source: NF
