OPINION: Why Julian Alaphilippe should go to the Giro d’Italia next year
Cycling
Julian Alaphilippe has had a difficult couple of seasons and a public spat from Patrick Lefevere over his lack of results. We discuss arguments why the Frenchman should aim for the Giro d'Italia in 2024.
This opinion article has been written by Lukáš Ronald Lukács.
Julian Alaphilippe… double world champion, multiple Grand Tour stage winner, but the last time he won a stage in a Grand Tour was in 2021. I know he would like to change that too. But here are all the reasons why I think Julian Alaphilippe should target next year the Giro d’Italia instead of the Tour de France.
- Grand Tour stage trilogy
Julian Alaphilippe already won stages at the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España, and the only Grand Tour that is missing from the trilogy is the Giro d’Italia. It is time to complete it and write your name in the history books once again.
- Not just a domestique
Does he want to be just a domestique for Remco Evenepoel at the Tour? I don’t think so. He wants to have a free role, which he will get at the Giro, where the team will not have to think about general classification ambitions.
- Does he have Tour level?
I don’t think so. And he feels it too. He feels that he does not have the same Tour de France level anymore when he can win even just a stage. But he still wants to win, the Giro gives him a much bigger chance than the Tour.
- It is time to ride the Giro
Julian Alaphilippe rode 8 Grand Tours in his career. 6 times it was a Tour de France, 2 times it was the Vuelta. But next to a Giro, you can find in the statistics only a 0. It is time to try the Giro for the first time.
Why not? He has good chance at least getting the ITT jersey at Giro. TDF is tough, even more with UAE and Pog is targetting TDF, but knowing Quickstep missing Remco for likely 4-5 months of this year due to injury. He might get the TDF duty, but who knows? Nothing is impossible
Every dog has its day and I'm beginning to think Alaphilipe has had his. I hope I'm proved wrong.
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