Julian Alaphilippe has reached a pivotal moment in his career in 2024. In the final year of his contract with Soudal Quick-Step, the Frenchman left open the possibility that this could be his final year as a professional.
In his season debut in Australia, Alaphilippe showed encouraging signs at the Tour Down Under, taking sixth place overall and remaining in the top six for the final two stages.
Soudal – Quick-Step boss Patrick Lefevere, known for openly expressing his opinions, especially in relation to Alaphilippe, recently assessed the former world champion’s performance at the start of the season.
We saw Julian at the level we expect from him
“The Tour Down Under was good, not bad, not great. We saw Julian at the level we expect from him,” Lefevere told GCN.
“He can come back from Australia knowing he can win. He could have beaten Willunga (Willunga Hill climb) if he had waited a little longer before attacking, but he was up there.”
Hope remains
Despite having criticized Alaphilippe on previous occasions, Lefevere maintains the belief that, at 31, the cyclist can still regain his former form.
“This is a crucial season for him, but he assured me that, with one more winter, he can reach the level he displayed before,” he said.
“I remember well the 2020 race and the motorcycle incident at the Tour of Flanders. He was the protagonist of the escape, but I am sure that his talent has not disappeared.”
Remember the motorcycle accident during the Tour of Flanders 2020