Cyrille Guimard on Julian Alaphilippe: "Now he's got the desire to ride again, and that makes me happy"

After a brilliant performance at the Critérium du Dauphiné, Julian Alaphilippe now heads to the Tour de France full of vigour and having found some positive form. For Cyrille Guimard, it's a sight he loves to see.

"We've got the GOOD Alaphilippe back, but not yet the great one. The great Julian was in the yellow jersey in the Tour and won the time trial," Guimard tells Cyclism'Actu in his regular column. "You have to remember that. Now he's got the desire to ride again, and that makes me happy. It means that a lot of things have been put behind him and that things are moving in the right direction."

After returning to winning ways at the Dauphine on stage 2, Alaphilippe was one of the stars of the race, lighting things up in the attacking style that made him famous and brought him so much success in his pomp.

"He's enjoying attacking again, going for the big moves, taking the sprints, working for the others... He's got all that back. But I don't think he's at his best today," Guimard continues. "But one thing is certain: he will be an actor the Tour, and perhaps the best French actor."