In the last year of his current contract with Soudal Quick-Step, Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe hinted that 2024 could even be the last year of the two-time World Champion’s professional career (2020 and 2021).
“To be honest, I approached each season of my career as if it were the last,” said the former two-time world champion in conversation with the British website GCN.
“Each new season I started as if I hadn’t won anything before. I always think like that. To be honest, I don’t know where I’ll be next year, if I’ll continue on the team or if I’ll continue cycling, I don’t know, I don’t know.”
Good start to the season
Starting the campaign relatively well at the Tour Down Under, Alaphilippe finished 6th overall. “It’s been a really beautiful few weeks here and then it will be time to start in Europe for the Classics,” he reflects.
“I saw the result of the Tour Down Under with a good feeling. I simply came here with the ambition to see how I feel and I was realistic with the results, because I knew what I did during the winter”, he continues.
Surprise in Australia
“I was surprised to be able to fight with the best to the top of the climb, it’s a good surprise, to be honest. I knew it would be difficult to win, because the guys who win here, I know trained specifically throughout the winter, from November and until October. I knew where I was and it’s a nice surprise to already be there.”
Possible farewell to Grand Tours at the Giro d’Italia
If this is Alaphilippe’s final year, he is expected to make his farewell to Grand Tours at the Giro d’Italia in a few months.
“It’s definitely a different race, but you can’t think that the Giro is easier than the Tour or the Vuelta. There are always guys who will be 100 percent in every race. The Giro is truly one of the most difficult races I have seen on television in recent years”, he concludes.
“However it is good to have new goals, after two difficult seasons, it is good to go where you want and be 100 percent where you have to be.”
“But as I said before, being 100 percent at my level, this is my first objective of the season. I think I have a good program to try to achieve it”, concluded the Frenchman, signaling a possible end to his career.