"More than with any other rider, I feel that I meant something in Julian's life" - Patrick Lefevere pays tribute to retired Alaphilippe
CyclingSaturday, 22 August 2026 at 11:34
A retirement that had been 'leaked' 24 hours prior, but one that does not lose any of its meaning. Julian Alaphilippe is no longer a professional cyclist, having ended his career his career at the recent Tour de France. Patrick Lefevere, who managed the Frenchman for so many years, paid a tribute to him.
Lefevere believed Alaphilippe would retire after the Tour
"I saw Julian recently in the Tour, when he crossed the finish line together with Warren Barguil," Patrick Lefevere said in his weekly Het Nieuwsblad column.
"Before that, he had launched an attack on Montmartre that typified the final years of his career: poorly timed, unconvincing, quickly caught again. You could feel and see it in everything: he's finished."
For Lefevere, it was almost like an analogy for the veteran's final year in the peloton. Whereas in the past such attacks would explode races and see him be a decision-maker in the classics; in the 2026 peloton his firepower was not enough to make the difference anymore.
Alaphilippe made the decision and this Friday evening this was announced to the public. Tributes had already flooded social media by that time, with the information having been leaked the day before.
"At Tudor – and admittedly also in his final years with our team – he was racing against himself. Against the expectations and the palmarès of his peak years. Milano-Sanremo, three times La Flèche Wallonne, two times world champion..."
Alaphilippe, 34, had one of the most illustrious careers in modern professional cycling. Having turned professional in 2013 with Soudal - Quick-Step's development team, he jumped into the World Tour the following years where he also took his first stage win at the Tour de l'Ain.
That would be the first of 45, with quantity and quality scattered all throughout his palmarès. Two consecutive world titles; three editions of Flèche Wallonne; a victory at Milano Sanremo; Strade Bianche, Clásica San Sebastiàn; a whole six stages at the Tour de France...
As a French rider, and one that raced on attack and feel often, he was beloved by his home crowd but also internationally. A winner of the KOM classification in 2018, but it was his 2019 Tour where he captured the hearts of most, having led most of the Tour, won the Pau time trial in the yellow jersey and survive all the way into stage 19 in the race lead.
Julian Alaphilippe at the start of his final Tour de France
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Lefevere deeply attached to Julian Alaphilippe
Lefevere, then the manager of Quick-Step, didn't expect Alaphilippe to resist the way that he did that year at the Grand Boucle, and argues that in the long-term it was not fully beneficial for his career:
"I maintain that the engine had to go too deep into the red back then, despite all the victories that followed afterwards. Physically and mentally, that Tour took too much of a toll."
Whilst there was no public fall-out, Alaphilippe's departe from Quick-Step at the end of 2024 came after several public criticism from Lefevere himself, putting the relationship of the two at stake and in a rather unusual public manner. Alaphilippe rode the last two years of his career with Tudor Pro Cycling Team where he took the last victory of his career: The 2025 GP de Québec.
But Lefevere assures that the emotion-driven Alaphilippe was the perfect match for the also emotion-driven Belgian manager, who spent decades at the helm of the Quick-Step team before stepping away at the end of 2024.
"More than with any other rider, I feel that I meant something in Julian's life. He did it all himself, but I remember our very first conversation," he recalls. "He was seventeen at the time, a cyclocross rider for L’Armée de Terre, the French Army team."
"We spoke after the Bredene race, while he stood shivering from the cold at the team tent. I was in the company of Wilfried Peeters, Johan Museeuw, and his discoverer Johan Molly. That is where I said: you can come and sign tomorrow."
The move proved to be more successful than both could ever hope for, and the amount of tributes pouring in after the former World Champion's announcement continues to show the level of popularity that he has achieved throughout his career.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- Still trying to be relevantslappers6622-08-2026
- Even when he is trying to be nice he can be insulting. "Before that, he had launched an attack on Montmartre that typified the final years of his career: poorly timed, unconvincing, quickly caught again. You could feel and see it in everything: he's finished." Although they did have some amazing years together. JA and Quick-Step were the best for a short period.mij22-08-2026
- I won’t acknowledge it nor do I see it. They have marquee riders and the epitome of professionally cycling with their best practices. They have vets and WVA and JV and up and coming talent like Matthew Brennan.mij22-08-2026
- they are rumored to be signing Davide Ballerini, another GT stage winner. can’t be that bad.mij22-08-2026
- Too easy 😂😂anonymouscyclist22-08-2026
- The only rider I’ll be watching today is Tarling. He and his family are still in my thoughts, and I know he’ll give it his absolute best for his brother. You have the entirety of the UK (and probably many other countries) behind you right now, Josh, proud no matter what position you cross the line in. #ForFinanonymouscyclist22-08-2026
- Visma a transition for sure and its not looking that good or hard to aknowledge i think to say something seem rotten there now. Also they have no money it seems its matters alot. I think Magnus Cort is right and jonas would be better of leaving Visma as things are there nowmiguel22-08-2026
- uae also developed Del toro higher ranked than jonas on rankings now this year. Its very easy to both see and aknowledge something is rotten at Visma with how they decline and all leavnig. Alot of chaos at Vismamiguel22-08-2026
- PogiSloCLOWNMouse barfs out more nonsense!frieders322-08-2026
- You're just a f'in CLOWN ! Mommy shouod take away your keyboard!frieders322-08-2026
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