Julian Alaphilippe finished second overall at the Tour of Slovakia last weekend, seven seconds short of Mauro Schmid. The Frenchman tried to drop the Swissman multiple times on the queen stage, but was unable to do so against the Jayco AlUla team's numbers advantage. While Schmid neutralized Alaphilippe, his teammate Felix Engelhardt rode to his first big victory in 2024.
Runner-up overall is not a disappointment for the 32-year-old Frenchman who was able to at least take a stage in Slovakia. Alaphilippe already won the 2.1 race in 2018, but even this result gives the Soudal - Quick-Step leader a lot of motivation towards the second part of the season.
Alaphilippe spoke about the race on his team's website. "I think we can be satisfied with our race. Personally, if we put aside the French Championships, it was my first appearance since the Giro d'Italia, and I am happy with the results and my form. The whole team did their best and I am proud of my young teammates, who showed the Wolfpack spirit all week. Starting my second half of the season with a victory, a podium and a distinctive jersey gives me a lot of confidence for the next races," he concluded.
We are anxiously waiting to learn whether the two-time world champion will be selected to represent France at the 2024 Olympic Games. With Victor Lafay's injury preventing the 28-year-old from racing in 2024, the main competition for lineup spots for Paris will be Benoit Cosnefroy, Christophe Laporte or Arnaud Démare.
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