"Rediscover the sensations and the pleasure of cycling" - Julian Alaphilippe's build-up for the Tour de France has a different goal
Cycling
Julian Alaphilippe has had the prime of his career already a few years ago. He knows exactly how to prepare for the Tour de France, a race in which he has won six times in the past, in 2026 his mission ahead of the Grand Boucle is to find once again his best feelings and to enjoy racing after a very difficult year.
Finding form in Switzerland
“He still lacks a little consistency on certain days," team DS Sylvain Blanquefort told DirectVelo. "He was average the first day, the second [day] it was ok," the Frenchman said regarding the recent Tour de Suisse. It was Alaphilippe's first block of racing since the Ardennes, where he was unable to finish any race due to physical issues. Over Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico and Milano-Sanremo, the veteran did not have the form to translate into results.
At Itzulia Basque Country he was also not on the right path, and ultimately he never got to show his best legs this year. At the GP Gippingen, he was fifth, finishing between Thibau Nys and Jarno Widar in the reduced peloton sprint - with the first three spots already reserved for the riders ahead. It was an encouraging sign, but at the Tour de Suisse he was rather absent from the action.
"He is on the right track. His week is encouraging. The goal is to rediscover the sensations and the pleasure of cycling. There are ten days left before the start of the Tour".
Julian Alaphilippe at Itzulia Basque Country 2026
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Picking the right days at the Tour de France
Signed as the staple name for the Swiss team in 2025, Alaphilippe's presence at the Tour de France was never put into question, as he holds some of the team's best chances at winning a stage. In his current form, it will be a difficult task, but he is looking to improve his form ahead of the race, skipping the French national championships in order to not lose training time into the race.
“He wants to do things well to be ready for the Tour. The goal is to capitalize on the days where he feels really good and that he has checked off, and to stay calmer on other days," Blanquefort added.
With the early hilly stages to be ruled by the GC men and Mathieu van der Poel, there will be few opportunities for a rider like Alaphilippe during the 2026 Tour as it lacks many hilly stages. However, he is one of the riders who carries the most experience when it comes to winning a race like this - although for five years he has not raised his arms at the Tour (if we ignore the 2025 Tour blunder in Carcassonne).
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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- lol yeah. this is a good onemij12-11-2026
- Mads is the best: I didn’t even know there were rules in cyclocross. I just thought it was a matter of: ‘Go, three, two, one, ride.’ It’s like a street fight, a kind of underground brawl. It’s the MMA of cycling he gives the best quotes.mij12-11-2026
- he's too young. he's 23, so not really a fair call yet.mij12-11-2026
- and don't forget Pidcock's departure. maybe he will never win a GT, but he knows how to light up a race.mij12-11-2026
- Bingo...I was going to say a 12 year obsessed Pogi fan girlie ! Like she's chasing a teen boy band! All glossy eyed about tadej!frieders312-11-2026
- That stint in the Pink was so good. If memory serves he struggled with the champagne cuz he'd never been on the podium before. I feel like it gave him some self-belief, and yeah - then the move to Visma to be one of their lieutenants has really brought him to the best version of himself.wrsty12-11-2026
- So, you never really compared Paul Seixas with his main rival Isaac Del Toro why jump to Pogačar? They've (Paul & Isaac) raced together here and there, and they've both shared in wins and losses, I think they should be compared to each other, even with Vingegaard and Remco first before even touching Pogačar. From your writing it's like he's better than Vingegaard, Remco and Del Toro already that his main target is now Pogačar 🤔Sadick11-11-2026
- gee i hope its a minor injury. a great rider and ambassador for the sport. get well soon Lucinda.
Davide11-11-2026 - some of lidl-treks retention and recruiting has been puzzling in the mens and womens teams.Davide11-11-2026
- Yeah his ride at World's was unreal. Over 6 W/kg for over an hour and a half...he single handedly destroyed the break.DAS11-11-2026
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