"He could have won on Willunga if he had waited" - Patrick Lefevere assesses Julian Alaphilippe's early season form
Cycling
Julian Alaphilippe has entering a key point in his career in 2024. The final year of his Soudal - Quick-Step contract, the Frenchman has even hinted it could be the final year of his professional career.
In his first outing of the season in Australia, Alaphilippe showed some positive signs at the Tour Down Under, finishing 6th overall and placing top-6 in both the final two stages. The boss of Soudal - Quick-Step, Patrick Lefevere, has never been one to keep his opinions to himself, especially when it comes to Alaphilippe, and he has recently assessed the former world champion's early season form.
"Australia at the Tour Down Under was okay, not bad, not great. We saw Julian at the level that we expect from him," Lefevere tells GCN. "He can come back from Australia knowing that he can win. He could have won on Willunga if he had waited a bit more before attacking but he was up there."
Although Lefevere has been a vocal critic of Alaphilippe in the past, he still believes the now 31-year-old can get back to his best. “It’s a big season for him but he promised me that if he had one more winter then he could come back to the level that he’d had before," he concludes. "I’m looking forward to him not having bad luck this year and being at his best at the Tour of Flanders. I still remember the race in 2020, and the incident with the moto. He was the guy who made the break but I’m sure that his talent hasn’t gone.”
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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