Aurélien Canot, Media365, published on Tuesday December 17, 2024 at 8:47 a.m.
Christian Prudhomme recently spoke on the Eurosport set about the case of Julian Alaphilippe, who will play from next year under the colors of the Swiss team Tudor and for whom it is impossible to know at this time whether he will be present on the next Tour de France or not. The director of the event responds.
Will Julian Alaphilippe (32 years old) be at the start of the next Tour de France? This year, while his clear recovery in form in the Tour of Italy (Editor's note: He finished 48th but had won the combativeness classification as well as a stage) suggested that he could review his initial calendar and compete in the Grande Boucle after the Giro, the French puncher finally stuck to his positions, preferring to line up at the start of the Tour of Slovakia rather than that of the Tour. What will happen this year, knowing in addition that the rider who finished fifth in the event in 2019 will no longer compete under the colors of this Soudal Quick-Step team of which Patrick Lefevere will no longer be the boss at starting on December 31 but under those of the Swiss team Tudor (formerly Swiss Racing Academy), a team (led by Fabian Cancellara) which has never yet competed in the Tour. Without knowing yet if Alaphilippe, who would then be celebrating his seventh participation, and his new teammates will be able to be there nor if the best climber of the 2018 Tour will decide to make his return to the Grande Boucle, Christian Prudhomme did not hide very recently on the tray ofEurosport that a Tour de France without the one who joined this season the closed clan of riders having raised their arms in the three Grand Tours was not really one.
Prudhomme: “If there are signs saying “Go Julian!” and he’s there, that’s even better.”
“We cannot remain indifferent to the presence or absence of Julien Alaphilippe. For who he is, for his record, for his fourteen days in yellow in 2019, his two world champion titles, the Flèche Wallonne, Milan – San Remo… Also for his qualities as a champion and for the rider that he is, a little less strong today but capable of thrilling the public by winning a magnificent stage, such as for example on the Tour from Italy. And also for what he represents in terms of enthusiasm, sympathy and love of people. On the side of the road, he is “Julian! Julian! Julian!” Even when he's not there. So if there are 'Go Julian!' signs and he's there, that's even better.” However, we will have to wait to find out if Tudor will be one of the new teams to benefit from an invitation. “I’m naturally not going to answer you,” laughs Prudhomme, who probably knows a lot more than he wants to say.
