“Negotiations have begun" - Julian Alaphilippe nearing TotalEnergies move confirms team boss Jean-René Bernadeau

It seems inevitable that upon the end of his Soudal - Quick-Step contract, Julian Alaphilippe will break free from Patrick Lefevere and find a new home. Long rumoured to be interested in the Frenchman, TotalEnergies team boss Jean-René Bernadeau has confirmed talks are underway.

"We met with Julian last week and negotiations have begun," Bernaudeau revealed in conversation with the Ouest-France newspaper and the TotalEnergies boss seems confident too. "I like his state of mind. He really wants to perform well and works hard without making noise."

Alaphilippe is out of action currently after revealing that he'd been riding the majority of this year's Classics season with a fractured fibula, too worried about the potentially negative reaction to admit his injury during the races. "He is of course disappointed that his fibula injury has affected his spring, but he continues to keep the faith," Bernaudeau insists.

Alaphilippe has raced the entirety of his career so far with Soudal - Quick-Step in their various incarnations. The Frenchman has had some real highs two with six Tour de France stage wins, two World Championships and a monument win at Milano-Sanremo on his palmares amongst many other triumphs. In recent seasons however, he has struggled with injury and form, leading Patrick Lefevere to publicly criticise his rider via the press on many occasions, meaning a split is likely necessary at the end of this season.