If he is now focused on his new adventure with Tudor, Julian Alaphilippe had difficulty digesting the end of his story with the Quick-Step, which ended with a fall during the World Championships in Zurich.
A page has turned for Julian Alaphilippe. After twelve seasons at Quick-Step, the French rider opened a new chapter in his career by joining the Swiss team Tudor, which plays in the second division. A turn taken with a certain pleasure according to the double French world champion.
“I feel really good. A bit like a junior. I feel a rush of freshness and it makes me feel good. It was definitely a good time to leave and I appreciate it. It's like a form of rediscovery. I'm stepping out of my comfort zone,
he confided in an interview with Parisian. The challenge of finding my best level lies before me and I will compete with new teammates. In addition, the team's ambition will be to bring back the maximum number of UCI points to have a good ranking and to obtain invitations to the big races. This mix is new and motivates me. And I'm in a good group with good material. It feels good. »
Julian Alaphilippe preferred to “cut himself”
Julian Alaphilippe nevertheless has some regrets, notably regarding his exit at the Quick-Step. While he hoped to emerge through the front door during the Italian classics at the end of the season, the Frenchman saw his story within the Wolfpack come to an abrupt end during the World Championships in Zurich. Consequence of a violent fall at the start of the race. Enough to make him ruminate for long weeks despite the support of his partner and his son.
“I was very angry and I withdrew. Not only was I in pain, but ending like that sucked, said Julian Alaphilippe. So, I cut myself off a bit, especially from social networks. As soon as I fell, I understood that it was serious and that everything would end like that, getting into an ambulance. It was such a stupid fall too. And it all ends like this even though I had great motivation for this World Cup. When I sometimes say that I have a special destiny. Either it's very high, or it's very low. I accepted it a long time ago. And I took the time to take good care of myself. »
This fall was not the only stroke of fate suffered by Julian Alaphilippe in his last season with Quick-Step. He also had to deal with a cracked knee at the start of the spring.
“First of all, it was a mistake by the team because I shouldn’t have raced. I was patient and did the job despite the pain. I couldn't perform. Sometimes, and not in relation to this story, I was too nice”, he regretted on this subject.
