"It's been a long time since we've seen him at this level" - Remco Evenepoel admits he'd like Julian Alaphilippe alongside him at the Tour de France

With Remco Evenepoel mounting a Maillot Jaune charge for the first time in his career at the upcoming Tour de France, the team around the Belgian could be key. As such, Evenepoel himself is pressing for the resurgent Julian Alaphilippe to join him at the Grand Depart in Florence.

"His Giro was exceptional. It's been a long time since we've seen him at this level. I'm really happy to see him like that, to see him having fun and achieving results," the Soudal - Quick-Step leader confirmed in a pre-Criterium du Dauphine video call with various different press outlets, although he insists he'll leave the final selection up to others.

“I never do it, I just give a little of my ideas and advice. But it’s always the team and the riders themselves who choose,” the time-trial world champion stresses, steering clear from getting too involved with the selection process of those around Evenepoel in France. "For the moment, we haven't talked much with the staff. I had enough problems with my injury. It will be done after the Criterium du Dauphiné and the Tour de Suisse (June 9-16 ed.) and I think that the selection The final decision will be known after the Tour de Suisse,” Evenepoel assesses.

If Soudal - Quick-Step boss Patrick Lefevere is to be believed, Alaphilippe himself may be busy in the coming weeks as the controversial Belgian team boss wrote in his most recent column for Het Nieuwsblad that he'd like clear the air talks with the Frenchman following the former world champion's successful and resurgent Giro d'Italia performance.

“I want to clear the air personally and professionally. Julian has been in our team since he was seventeen," Lefevere explained. "I'm not going to call him a son, but it doesn't make much difference. What happened happened. I said what I said. But I want to make sure that none of that sticks.”