Patrick Lefevere once more shows disappointment with Alaphilippe: "He was able to save himself by winning the Worlds twice. But this is not enough"

Patrick Lefevere has been on a charge over the past few weeks, and in a recent interview he has once again talked about Julian Alaphilippe and how he is not content with the Frenchman's performances.

"I don't beat around the bush. He is a professional, we are professionals. The riders are well paid but you need a return. I never attack injured or sick riders. But when this is not the case, you have to live up to your contract," Lefevere said of the former World Champion in an interview with RTBF.

The two-time World Champion gave up his rainbow jersey this year, however to teammate Remco Evenepoel, hence keeping the jersey within Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team. His season has been severely hindered by illnesses and crashes, however that does not come as an excuse to the team manager who is expecting results from one of it's highest-payed riders.

“For so many reasons, he could not speak, he recalled. When we look at his record in terms of victories in recent years, it is rather on the downward slope. Fortunately, he was able to save himself by winning the Worlds twice. But this is not enough," Lefevere continued.

The string of comments resembles that of Sam Bennett who left the team last year, after Lefevere criticized him following a knee injury from the Irishman. Alaphilippe has not commented about Lefevere's remarks so far however. Crashes at Strade Bianche, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Vuelta a Espana, alongside an illness back in March and a Covid-19 infection in August so very little chance for the 30-year old to perform at his regular level.

“I think the top-level Julian is capable of being there. When he started getting results at the top level, at the Flèche Wallonne, in Liège, on the Tour de France… there weren't riders like van Aert, van der Poel, Pogacar, Roglic. He was very explosive but then the others arrived and the competition is much tougher," Lefevere commented. Alaphilippe will be having his main goals of the spring at the Tour des Flandres and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.