Julian Alaphilippe to target Tour of Flanders in 2024

Julian Alaphilippe has confirmed the Spring Classics as his major target for 2024, indicating that he will ride a full cobbled Classics campaign. The 31-year-old two-time world champion was speaking in an Instagram Q&A in a virtual BKOOL ride and said that he will race Strade Bianche, Milan-San Remo and the Tour of Flanders, aiming to repeat his feat of winning the former two in 2019 and gunning to avenge his 2020 crash at the latter.

"My first big goal will be normally the Tour of Flanders," he said. "But with already some important races before, like Strade Bianche, Milan-San Remo, and all the Flemish one-day Classics – the one-day races in Belgium until Flanders."

Alaphilippe did not confirm whether or not he'll ride Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on the so-called Opening Weekend a month shy of the main Flemish Classics period, but his statement showed his newfound appetite for the cobbles still burns bright.

With the announcement of his targets for 2024, however, optimism will begin to build for his return to the Tour of Flanders, in particular. "I think it will be an important season for me to try and perform at the top level and during the whole season," Alaphilippe said. "That's never easy."