2024-03-02 21:20:04
The bad patch continues. Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe fell and was forced to retire in the Strade Bianche, the Italian semi-classic that he won in 2019, his team announced on Saturday.
“Julian Alaphilippe and Paul Magnier (winner of a stage on the Tour of Oman) have retired, they were both involved in a fall,” wrote the Soudal-Quick Step team on its X account (formerly Twitter) , without giving further details. “More information will be given on their state of health once we have it,” added the Belgian team.
Last weekend, Alaphilippe had already had to retire after a heavy fall in the final of the Circuit Het Nieuwsblad. Two years ago, he had already fallen heavily on the tricky Strade Bianche route.
In the evening, his team published a press release to announce its participation in Tirreno-Adriatico next week. “The double world champion suffered several abrasions but after being assessed by the medical staff of the Soudal Quick-Step team, he was cleared to start next week in Tirreno-Adriatico. »
Tensions with his manager
The double world champion (2020 and 2021) was recently virulently criticized by his boss Patrick Lefevere who criticized him for his lifestyle (“Too many parties, too much alcohol”) and the excessive influence, according to him, of his companion, Marion Rousse. If the latter reacted, the French runner did not comment on the subject.
Since his heavy fall during the 2022 edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Alaphilippe, 31, has only scored three victories. The Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, double winner of the Tour de France, is making his return to the dusty roads of Tuscany, where he is the favorite.
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