"It always hurts to see him go" - Patrick Lefevere confirms there's no bad blood between him and Julian Alaphilippe about his decision to leave Wolfpack after 11 years

Julian Alaphilippe will leave Soudal - Quick-Step for Tudor Pro Cycling after 11 years with Patrick Lefevere's formation. During that time, he became two-time world champion and accidentally almost won the 2019 Tour de France. In recent years the relationship between the rider and the Belgian manager was not always ideal and eventually things lead one to each other and the French puncheur chose to refuse Lefevere's offer to renew after a good 2024 campaign.

"Julian had two very weak years, 2022 and 2023, and I didn't want to pay that money anymore," Lefevere notes understandably in his HLN column. "However he wasn't a guy who was riding for a minimum salary," he pointed out.

Lefevere also returned to the extension offer he made to Alaphilippe, which was ultimately rejected. "He was perfectly within his rights to refuse the offer," he said. "We can talk about the end of an era. For him as well as for us."

"We have a very long history together. The little guy came to us very young," he continues. "We worked a lot, but we also had a lot of fun together. It always hurts to see him go. He was not just a rider, Julian is like a child of the family that you leave behind."

"I have to admit that I was a bit naughty at times and made stupid statements," Lefevere confessed. "But some things were also misinterpreted. Like about Marion (Rousse): I just wanted to say that it's a good thing that she keeps him on a leash because that's what you have to do with Julian. As in any relationship, we've had our ups and downs, but I'm glad we had another good conversation. A few weeks ago he came to Wevelgem and we had a one-on-one chat. We leave with a positive feeling. I certainly am, and I think he is too. I think his heart is still with us."

"Julian is a really good guy. I was hard on him, but I can also say that I did a lot for him, also in private, when his father died, etc... That's why I'm happy that our relationship remains cordial," Lefevere concludes.