As the French championships loom, some vote for Julian Alaphilippe despite the difficulty for him to shine there.
Double world champion, Julian Alaphilippe has paradoxically never shone during the French championships. Last year, the QuickStep runner was made the big favorite given the course, cut out for his qualities. However, he would finally give up after only 129 kilometers of racing, victim of a massive heat stroke and vomiting.
And the Frenchman was even more of a favorite as the two previous editions had been won by two teammates, Florian Sénéchal and Rémi Cavagna. Proof that we could be crowned in France without a plethoric workforce. When Julian Alaphilippe could at best only count on the support of two teammates, the French teams arrived in force with between 15 and 20 riders.
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However, some observers want to believe in his victory, on June 23, on the course around Mont-Saint-Michel, between Avranches and Saint-Martin-de-Landelles, a first for La Manche. “Julian Alaphilippe would make a great champion of France”, launched Charly Rouxel, former glory of Normandy cycling, in Ouest France, notably with a victory in the first Tour Méditerranéen in 1974 and six participations in the Tour de France.
“It’s the French Championship, it’s a different race, but we’re going to try to take advantage of it,” explained Julian Alaphilippe last year, before a race “which is close to his heart”. “Who doesn’t dream of wearing the blue, white and red jersey? », he asked. And like last year, the Quick-Step runner can believe in his chances since the course is made for punchers with the Côte de la Vallée (800 m at 8%), the Côte de la Pigeonnière (500 m at 6%) and the Biards coast (700 m at 5%) throughout the 240.6 km.
It remains to be seen what form the native of Saint-Amand-Montrond will be in, who has not raced since the Giro and is now looking towards the Olympic Games.
