"I can no longer talk about Alaphilippe without being pounced on" - Patrick Lefevere

Arguably no one has been a more vocal critic of Soudal - Quick-Step's former world champion, Julian Alaphilippe than his own team boss Patrick Lefevere during his recent drop in form. Lefevere however has denied that he has a personal vendetta against the Frenchman.

"I have the impression that I no longer have the right to express myself on the matter without everyone throwing themselves at me, especially in France," the leader of the Wolfpack revealed in an interview with L'Equipe. "They wanted to make me say more than what I really said... I never said anything other than my dissatisfaction with the lack of results."

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World champion in both 2020 and 2021, Alaphilippe has found wins a lot harder to come by over the last couple of years. Lefevere has been very outspoken in his criticism of the Frenchman's form but he believes he has every right to do so. "I am the head of a team that uses it, so I have the right to make this observation," explains Lefevere.

“I have always paid my brokers at fair value. Julian knows it. Since his debut with us, we have always sat down together to extend and renegotiate his ever-growing contract,” he continues. “I'm always proud when a rider does his entire career with me, but at the end of the meal, we both have to be happy with what we ate and also what we paid for. Honestly, that is what I want the most."

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