It is in Portugal that Julian Alaphilippe will begin its 2025 season in its new team colors Tudor Pro Cycling ! After spending his entire career within the Soudal Quick-Stepthe 32-year-old Frenchman will therefore begin this new adventure on the Figueira Champions Classic on February 16, as he revealed this Tuesday during a press conference organized by the Swiss team in the heart of their last preparatory course in Moraira, southeastern Spain. The double world champion will then remain on Lusitanian territory to continue with the Algarve Tour (February 19-23). A unique program for those who discover these two events, before a very probable reunion with Paris-Nice (9-16 mars).
Video – Julian Alaphilippe at the start of the 83rd Paris-Nice in March?
“I hope we can compete in all the races we dream of running…”
More present at the start of the Race to the sun since 2020, Julian Alaphilippe should take advantage of the invitation received by the team led by Fabian Cancellara to mark his return to the French stage race, where he took 5th place and won a stage in 2017. “We have been officially invited, I would like to be, it has been a long time since I participated in this race and I will be happy to come back“, he declared a few days ago when the invitations were revealed by the organizers. Alaphilippe also took the opportunity to reconsider his choice to join the Tudor in the offseason. “I liked the project from the first discussions we had with Ricardo (Scheidecker, sports director), “Raphi” (Raphael Meyer, general manager) and Fabian (Cancellara). I immediately liked the idea of being part of this young team but with a lot of character and ambition. I hope we can compete in all the races we dream of running.”he declared this Tuesday.
Among the races that the Swiss team dreams of finally being able to compete in, there is of course the Tour de Franceand the presence of the old Yellow jersey is necessarily likely to weigh heavily in the balance for the organizers of the Large Loop… “I'm always optimistic, it's a dream to go to the Tour, it's in our heads of course but it's still far away. I hope to find the best possible level“, indicated the Frenchman. Another flagship recruit of the Tudor, the Swiss Marc Hirschi will make his return to Spain at the end of January on the occasion of the Majorca Challenge (January 29 – February 2). Could cohabitation with the Swiss puncher, with whom he will surely have to share leadership during the biggest Classics, pose a problem? “It's a problem of the rich“, he judged. “There will be no rivalry between us. Deep down, I have the character of a leader, an attacker and that will never change. But I have always been happy to help my teammates and I would be happy to see Marc achieve his goals”he reassured.
