"Does not fit into our sporting guideline" - Groupama-FDJ distance themselves from potential Julian Alaphilippe signing
CyclingMonday, 29 April 2024 at 23:17
With a departure from Soudal - Quick-Step widely expected when his contract ends at the conclusion of this season, where Julian Alaphilippe will race in 2025 remains up in the air. According to Groupama - FDJ boss Marc Madiot however, it won't be with his team.
“We have a guideline and a sporting policy within the team and Julian Alaphilippe's profile, with all the talent and achievements he may have, does not fit into our sporting guideline," the experienced French team manager explains on the show Les Grandes Gueules du sport on RMC. "I've got nothing against him, but when you're in top-level sport and you set yourself guidelines, the first thing to do if you want to achieve a result is to respect those guidelines and not succumb to temptation."
With Cofidis boss Cedric Vasseur also recently distancing his team from Alaphilippe recently, it seems TotalEnergies are the most likely to secure the signature of the former world champion, although outspoken Soudal - Quick-Step boss Patrick Lefevere insisted recently that a contract extension is not completely out of the question.
Having shown some impressive form this week at the Tour de Romandie, it's possible Alaphilippe realises that wherever he goes, an improvement in his results is likely to be demanded.
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- I would let him go, take the cash, and go back to what the team does best - and what the fans love. Crush the cobbles! They won’t ever have the budget to compete with a super team. Jumbo has the current Giro winner riding as a domestique. Plus Sepp, Mateo, etc. Almeida might be the best rider not named Tadej, and he would have been a domestique. Along with Yates and more. This drama will hang over the club forever making it harder to sign riders.mij25-07-2025
- After the Lipo debacle yesterday, i no longer have confidence in the Bora staff that they can maximize Remco's gainsabstractengineer25-07-2025
- I was also surprised seeing Visma publicly announcing exactly what their plans were, and also claiming they were wearing Pogi out by giving him a free ride at the tail end of a group of their own guys cracking the wind.Ride197425-07-2025
- This seems like the logical move for Remco Evenepoel, but I think that many people will still have to question whether he's truly Grand Tour material. I believe that a rider like Florian Lipowitz has more potential in a GT than Remco does, so it will curious to see how things play out on that team. As well, where does all of this put Primoz Roglic, and does it pave the way for his imminent retirement from cycling?
santiagobenites25-07-2025 - Yes, but he does not race very often and his one big target he'll never win again, so I think Jonas needs to think about changing his strategy. He is in the prime of his career now, and unless he finds a Froome magic solution will not beat a healthy Pogacar, so maybe time to do some Italian Fall Classics or look into some of the Ardennes races and the 1 GT that Pogi does not target? Because if not, then you can be sure that the exodus of brilliant riders (Valter, Benoot, et al) from Visma will continue as the younger riders seek their opportunities to win and the current crop ages out of first line GT Domestique duties... Visma cannot allow Vingegaard's very limited racing scope, calendar and ability drag them down in the long termDoctorNurse7125-07-2025
- ...Not if that 2nd best GC rider only rides 1 GT a year and always gets spanked like a naughty child by a dominant champion.. JV will never beat a healthy Pogacar and we will never have to speculate about that ever again. If Jonas stays at Visma, he is going to eventually justify to Van Aert, Jorgensen and Yates why they should continue to sacrifice their palmarés for a man who won't ever win another race that Pogacar wants to win. Visma has already lost riders like Valter and Benoit to other teams and that trend will continue as these champion riders see the man they dedicated all their hard work and sacrifice for get an 11 second time loss in 500m like today .. Jo as does not have the Charisma or the palmares to keep champions working for such a lost cause. He and Visma both need to rethink their approach and make other targets. Their time winning the TdF against a healthy Pogacar is over, sooo... What's next?DoctorNurse7125-07-2025
- I think they should deduct all 20pts from that KomZamorano25-07-2025
- Exactly this... he doesn't have to jump, he's taken his time he needs to defend that time. If he decides to jump on La Plagne so be it but he doesn't have to. Tadej has always been in control... that simpleslappers6625-07-2025
- Inspiring words from a true champion!Lobz7725-07-2025
- Lipowitz is having a great Tour, but for me Oscar is the surprise of this season!Lobz7725-07-2025
It has turned out surprisingly well for Cavendish. He has gone from team to team without diminishing his public profile. He's as newsworthy as ever. Same with Sagan with help from his bike sponsor.
IF Alaphilippe can do the same, good for him and cycling. Hopefully the era of a team or manager putting an end to someone's career is coming to a close.
Agreed
Great for them but teams no longer have to pay for that so the sooner Alaf understands he can’t count on a juicy salary anymore, the faster he’ll notice someone might still be interested.
Teams also need to manage budgets and making the points cut off, only the bigger ones can afford to be nice to the retiring and keep them on while the young ones work for the points, problem is, Alaf never thought about which teams would be good to retire with.
Bizarre one in deed
What a bizarre thing to say.
Why? Too subtle for you?
“We have a guideline and a sporting policy within the team and Julian Alaphilippe's profile, with all the talent and achievements he may have, does not fit into our sporting guideline,"
Well mr. Madiot, I suspected that you were an idiot, but now you have just confirmed my suspision.
Classic Cav
You're not serious, are you?