"I would stop if I couldn't ride the bike the way I do": Julian Alaphilippe vows to never abandon his aggressive racing style

Julian Alaphilippe was once again, though only briefly, in the center of attention at the Tirreno-Adriatico as the first rider to launch a brave attack on the final gravel stretch. Had it been five years ago, the Frenchman would have quite possibly made a winning move, but there are bigger fish in the pond at the moment, above all Mathieu van der Poel who didn't give the Tudor leader a milimeter of free space before launching his own move. Yet, undeterred by the outcome, Alaphilippe vows to never change his racing style.

After all, he's not made a name for himself by sitting idly in the bunch. The two-time world champion who came agonizingly close to turning the 2019 Tour de France upside down spent his entire career at Quick-Step. However after a decade, the spark seemed to begin to die out... That's when Tudor Pro Cycling stepped in and offered Alaphilippe to re-ignite his inner fire with a new project:

"I always compare it to fire," he told NZZ. "Changing teams was the extra block of wood that had to be thrown onto the fire." It was a daring move, as at the time, there was no guarantee he'd ever get to return to the Tour de France. But those fears didn't materialize and the Swiss ProTeam is now the apex predator of cycling's second division with eyes set on acquiring a WorldTour license in 2029.

"In some ways, I feel more important, more useful and therefore happier at Tudor than I did at Quick-Step. It motivates me to be part of a team that is finding its place in the peloton and will hopefully keep getting stronger."

With the experience Alaphilippe amassed over the years in WorldTour, he's no longer "only" the protected rider whose mission is to perform in last hour of the race, and everything else is the team's responsibility. As one of the most experienced men in Tudor, Alaphilippe is gradually learning to take up the mentor role too:

"I show them, from my perspective, how to race and with what mentality."

As age passes and new super-talents emerge, Alaphilippe is painfully aware that he can no longer rely on his power alone to get him results. But it's never been in the Frenchman's DNA to race passively. And that is never going change, Alaphilippe promises. "I can still ride the bike the way I do. Otherwise I should stop. I do not want to change my racing style."

Various data have become key to cycling traininig, race strategies, and racing itself, however Alaphilippe puts the importance of intangible skills - mainly racing instict - just as high. "What I need to do, when, where and how isn’t on a datasheet."

"To enjoy cycling, I have to ride with my heart." The Tudor puncheur was therefore determined not to stop despite the difficult years he has come through between 2022-2023 seasons. "I love what I do," said the Frenchman, who wishes to conclude his career on a high.