“I’m a bit disappointed I couldn’t follow the pace of the guys in the front" - Julian Alaphilippe looking to improve after failing to gain Maillot Jaune on opening stage of the Tour de France

Whilst he certainly showed signs and threatened to be in the mix for the win, the first stage of the 2023 Tour de France was ultimately something of a disappointment for Julian Alaphilippe.

“I’m a bit disappointed I couldn’t follow the pace of the guys in the front," the French rider for Soudal - Quick-Step told his team's official website post-stage. "I fought hard to stay in a good position before the start of the last climb, as I knew how important that was. But then there are no excuses. I felt immediately how hard it would have been to keep the speed all the way to the top."

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After a poor couple of years, Alaphilippe has returned to form in recent months and had high hopes of taking the opening Yellow Jersey. Sadly for him, that honour went to Adam Yates who outsprinted his brother Simon Yates in a thrilling finale to take the stage win.

"The dream of wearing the first yellow jersey is gone, but the race is still long and I remain confident that there will be more chances to go for a stage win," Alaphilippe concludes. "The important thing is to recover and see what I can do on Sunday."

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