2024-01-10 10:45:17
Julian Alaphilippe will not be on the Tour de France in 2024 “a priori”. This was announced by the manager of his team Soudal Quick-Step Patrick Lefevere on Tuesday. The Belgian boss justified his decision by explaining that he did not want to see the 31-year-old Frenchman “as a 100% servant of Remco Evenepoel”, its leader. A choice rather seen as a punishment one year from the end of his contract for Alaphilippe, lacking results.
The winner of six stages of the Tour de France and wearer of the yellow jersey for a total of 18 days returned to the columns of The Team on this decision. “It’s not a non-selection and it’s not a punishment at all. It’s not a disappointment not to go to the Tour, it’s a choice on my part confirmed by the team. I can’t be everywhere either,” explained the man nicknamed “Alaf”.
“The Giro better suits my way of running”
On the program instead this year, another Grand Tour, the Giro, in Italy. “It’s been on my mind for a while. The question was when I was going to participate and this winter when we established the program, I said: Why not this year? Between Australia, the classics and the Giro, I wanted a change. The Giro corresponds better to my way of racing, with a team focused on stage victories in a dynamic race. »
Another notable meeting, a possible participation in the Olympic Games that the Frenchman has checked in his calendar, before a possible contract extension? “We’ll see when the time is right,” replies Alaphilippe simply. Not sure that his relations with Soudal Quick-Step and Patrick Lefevere have really warmed up with this schedule for 2024.
#punishment #Julian #Alaphilippe #explains #absence #Tour #France