“He hit his knee violently and is still suffering" - Patrick Lefevere reveals Julian Alaphilippe is a doubt for the Ardennes

Just when Soudal - Quick-Step must have thought the season couldn't get any worse, the general manager of the team, Patrick Lefevere has now revealed that star rider Julian Alaphilippe is a serious doubt for the Ardennes classics.

“He hit his knee violently and is still suffering," Lefevere reveals in an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws. "He will certainly be out at least until the Amstel Gold Race." Results of 51st at the Tour of Flanders and 29th at Dwars Door Vlaanderen however mean that Alaphilippe may need the break to return to top form.

To confound the issues at Soudal - Quick-Step, Lefevere also revealed that 28-year-old Italian, Davide Ballerini, who crashed out of the recent Paris-Roubaix is also still suffering. “He's not feeling very well after that crash," says Lefevere. ""e'll have to focus on the guys who have done the Itzulia Basque Country."

The likes of Mauro Schmid and Andrea Bagioli will now likely enter the Ardennes series of races as the Soudal - Quick-Step leaders and the always outspoken Lefevere will no doubt be hoping for better results.