Julian Alaphilippe has been one of the stars of the 2024 Giro d'Italia. Showing some of the best legs he's had in years, the Frenchman has finished on one stage and one another with a stunning long-distance attack. Could this return to form force a return to the Tour de France later this summer?
Well, according to French outlet L'Equipe, Soudal - Quick-Step's expected Maillot Jaune challenger, Remco Evenepoel, is pushing hard for Alaphilippe to get the nod and be alongside the time-trial world champion at the startline for the Grand Depart in Florence on the 29th of June. The duo are known to be good friends as well as teammates and an in-form Alaphilippe would undoubtedly be a great addition to the Soudal - Quick-Step team.
Whether or not Soudal - Quick-Step boss and most outspoken critic of Alaphilippe in recent years, Patrick Lefevere grants Evenepoel his wish remains to be seen though. Following Alaphilippe's Giro d'Italia stage win a few days ago, the controversial Belgian team boss admitted the French star was beginning to prove him wrong however.
"Julian is now proving me wrong. I like that. And I don't feel too good to admit it," Lefevere told HLN after Alaphilippe's stunning stage victory. "Not that I'm one hundred per cent wrong. Because we are talking about money. And that has to be filled in too. It's not my style to extend a rider's contract for less money. But again, I cannot say he has ridden well in the last two years."
A big question will be, with Alaphilippe targetting the Olympic Games, would the former two-time world champion be able to carry over his good form from the Giro d'Italia, through the three weeks of the Tour de France and then into the Paris Olympics Games, which starts just a week after the conclusion of the Tour? It's unlikely the 31-year-old would be at peak level.
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