Julian Alaphilippe looking to put difficult season behind as he leads Quick-Step at Il Lombardia

2022 has been a tough year for Julian Alaphilippe, packed with illnesses and injuries, and at Il Lombardia he's looking to finish off the season on a better note as he attemped to regain his form in recent weeks.

Although his results have little to show for, he was on the attack at the recent Coppa Bernocchi. He's abandoned the Vuelta a Espana following a crash, which has further limited him in terms of form. At the World Championships he was not at his best level, and although little may have changed, the almost seven hours of racing that are expected suit the Frenchman. Quick-Step come packed with options however.

Andrea Bagioli finished GP de Montréal in third place, and Mikkel Honoré has shown great form at the World Championships. Albeit puncheurs, the two can thrive in a race like this if they find themselves on a good day, and Ilan van Wilder is another name very capable of surprising. Overall, the Belgian team come with a strong lineup to Italy, with Mauri Vansevenant, Dries Devenyns and Louis Vervaeke filling in the remaining spots, riders who are expected to be able to provide support in the climbs.

“It’s the last Monument of the season and our penultimate race, we come here after solid outings at Bernocchi and Piemonte, so the motivation is huge and we want to do well," team DS Davide Bramati said in anticipation of the race. "The riders are ready to give everything on what will be a hard course, with a different final part than last year that could have a significant impact on the outcome. Julian is our leader and he will have a strong team around him, so we are confident."

Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team for Il Lombardia: Julian Alaphilippe, Andrea Bagioli, Dries Devenyns, Mikkel Honoré, Ilan van Wilder, Mauri Vansevenant and Louis Vervaeke.