Julian Alaphilippe has had a complicated season until this weekend, but the situation has only gotten worst as the World champion crashed out of Liège-Bastogne-Liège in a high-speed crash that involved many in the peloton, in which the Frenchman was perhaps the worst affected.
“He was still in a lot of pain, but he wasn't in a bad mood at all. But when I saw him I was reassured again," cousin and coach Franck Alaphilippe told L'Équipe. The World champion was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and when several riders crashed in front of him, there was no way to avoid the incident and he crashed into the road gutter which was a few meters below. He suffered a punctured long, as a result of two broken ribs, and also a broken scapula. Although having came in the final day of his spring campaign, it will affect his preparation for the summer, and may change his season schedule dramatically.
Franck Alaphilippe was quick to point out that despite the bad luck, the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team rider was in good spirits: “But he was also joking right away. The joker as I know him. Obviously he is seriously injured. The blow was very big.
He said additionally that his cousin had a light-hearted description of the crash, having said "Fifty centimeters further on, I would have avoided that tree and jumped back on the bike. I had to hit this tree."
Franck then explained why the Frenchman's season has been so affected so far, with irregular bouts of form. And asked if he was on a bad period, he answered: “Julian is right in the middle of that. He has always had difficult periods, but a dark period like never before."
"Since the beginning of this year he has suffered from colds, bronchitis, he has had the flu and he has crashed three times. And in less than two months. But now that I've seen him, I have a feeling that this situation is going to make him stronger. This will give him more mental toughness and he will be even more determined than before. We can't give a recovery date yet, but I'm very optimistic for the rest of the season;" he concluded.
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