Remco Evenepoel reportedly pushing for Julian Alaphilippe to be part of Soudal - Quick-Step's Tour de France lineup
Cycling
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.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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Le voyage est souvent plus beau que la destination. Merci à tout l’équipe et aussi a mon companion du jour @mircomaestri9 pour cette journée avec le coeur, la tête et les jambes 🙌 Merci aussi à tous pour vos nombreux messages 🙏 La résilience, n’oubliez pas la résilience.
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