Tour of Flanders and Tour de France the main goals for Julian Alaphilippe in 2023

Julian Alaphilippe endured a very complicated 2022 season, but it is time to look ahead. With the pain gone, the illnesses behind, the former World Champion has his sights on a few races in the 2023 season, which he has discussed.

“I'm looking forward to a good winter of training and so being able to fight again to win big races in 2023. I loved watching the Tour of Flanders on television as a kid. I only rode the Tour of Flanders for the first time in 2020 and crashed out as everyone recalls, but it was one of the races I love the most," Alaphilippe shared in an interview with Cyclingnews.

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"It’s a painful race, it’s physically and mentally demanding but it’s a race I enjoy riding. For sure, next year I’ll be out to target the Tour de Flanders. I’ll ride the Ardennes Classics too, but the Tour of Flanders is at the top of my list for the spring," he said.

He had admitted it recently, but he's confirmed that the Tour des Flandres will be an absolute goal. His debut in 2020 saw him on the fight for the win alongside Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel deep into the race, before he crashed into an organization motorbike that was badly positioned on the road. The Flandrien classic will be a priority for the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team.

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Away from the spring, he has set the other main goal of the year. “The Tour de France is like no other race. Everything you do in the Tour has a special emotion too. The Tour is unique,” he said. With the Grand Depart in the Basque Country with two hilly stages, the yellow jersey will be up for grabs for the classics riders and climbers, as was the case in the 2021 edition where he put on the first maillot jaune in Landerneau.

“As a Frenchman everyone expects me to do something but as a rider I also want to do well and want to perform there. I’ve got some great memories from the last few Tours. both for the results I achieved and for the affection and support of the public on the race," he continued.  “I really want to go back to the Tour in 2023 and ride in my best shape. When you are in good form and you do well, you can really enjoy it. Success takes away the pain of the Tour and of any other moment.”  

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With the recently route revealing a climber-oriented race, with several opportunities for breakaway to succeed also in some hilly stages around the Massif Central, it is one that has sparked the attention from him. Whether he will team with with Remco Evenepoel at the Grand Boucle remains to be seen, but he had only good words directed to his successor in the rainbow jersey. “We’re two very different riders but we have a good relationship,” he admitted. 

“He had a special season by winning so much. He also won QuickStep’s first Grand Tour, so nobody deserves to take the rainbow jersey in 2022 more than Remco. I’m super happy to have passed on the rainbow jersey to him and so also kept it in our team. I’m happy for him to have the spotlight that comes with the rainbow jersey. I’ll be happy to pull on the blue and white team jersey again and get back to being the rider I was before my problems of 2022. That’s my first goal for the new season," Alaphilippe concluded. 

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