Cycling: Julian Alaphilippe, absent from the Giro di Lombardia, ends his story with the Soudal-Quick Step

We will no longer see Julian Alaphilippe with the colors of Soudal-Quick Step. The Frenchman, who dislocated his shoulder in a fall during the World Championships at the end of September, is logically not in the group of the Belgian team that will compete in the Giro di Lombardia on Saturday. As a direct consequence, this package marks the end of his ten-year history with Patrick Lefevere’s team.

Soudal-Quick Step published this Wednesday the list of its seven riders for the “Dead Leaves Classic”, Monument which is the last major meeting of the season, in Italy. It will be led by its Belgian leader Remco Evenepoel, who will try to challenge Tadej Pogacar, winner of the last three editions and author of a new event at the Zurich World Championships.

Next appointment under the colors of Tudor

Alaphilippe’s absence thus seals the end of the adventure with his only team since his professional debut in 2013. 32 years old, the Frenchman will join the modest Swiss team Tudor for next season, with the hope of turning the page in last season. three delicate seasons at the same time.

If he experienced glory with the Soudal-Quick Step, winning in particular the Milan-San Remo in 2019 and then becoming world champion twice (2020 and 2021), Julian Alaphilippe experienced very difficult 2022 and 2023 seasons, not lacking regain his best level after a serious autumn during the 2022 edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. His poor performance was criticized several times by team manager, Patrice Lefevere, who highlighted a discrepancy with his French star’s level of remuneration.

This season, Alaphilippe has experienced an upturn in form, culminating in a stage win at the Giro. But he also collected second places, and bad luck did not abandon him completely, as in his last fall, at the World Championships in Zurich, where he was an outsider. Since then his participation in the Giro di Lombardia was unlikely.

The announcement of the signing with Tudor Pro Cycling dates back to August. Within this team, which holds the UCI ProTeam license, the second level of road cycling, the Frenchman will share the spotlight with another recruit, the Swiss Marc Hirschi.