"When I talk with some guys, they don’t dream about winning races anymore" - Julian Alaphilippe sees abrupt change in pro cyclists' mentality
Cycling
Now 33 years old, Julian Alaphilippe finds himself in a position of being a veteran in the peloton. Whilst very few have had the pleasure of winning as often and as big as him, the Frenchman believes that he sees less of that drive in the peloton nowadays, but instead a pursuit for better power numbers.
“Sometimes I feel that is a bit sad, because when I talk with some guys, they don’t dream about winning races anymore," Alaphilippe told Sigma Sports Unplugged. They’re just happy because they have a good five minute test, because they have good numbers.”
That is however necessary naturally, and in the negotiations process there is often a sharing of data from the riders. This means that although the riders may not achieve their best results - due to supporting roles in the team, bad tactics or difficult positioning - many top teams currently spend a lot of resources signing diamonds in the rough, and the numbers are something that happen to be key.
However, in a sport that has become more and more dependent in technology, the Frenchman sees cases where that dependency seems to go wrong. "I see some people, they cannot go on a bike if they don’t have all these computers," he argues. Rather than have the main focus on the numbers and bike computer, Alaphilippe is an apologist of having the landscape around as the priority.
It's not a performance inhibitor, whilst it helps maintain the pleasure in cycling and the longevity in careers - something that currently is growing shorter and shorter. “Where you make the difference is in your head, when you really dream so bad about something.”
"If you only sit and watch the numbers, the program, the computer, and you don’t look at the trees around, the sky, even if it’s grey, you don’t care because you’re looking at your power meter. That’s a bit sad, and you lose the pleasure of just being a cyclist".
Far from the best but still a winner
“I know I’m really far to be the best. I’m not a machine. I know when I’m on a good shape and when I feel good, and I can play with my legs and my instinct, I can be part of this," he says. Although he does not have the ability to make the difference in the way that he used to at his prime, Alaphilippe still sets very good numbers.
The main issue is that the peloton is riding at a pace that is substantially higher even when comparing to 2021 when he won his last world title. So he relies on tactical opportunities and ever-aggressive racing to try and net big wins. After moving to Tudor Pro Cycling Team last season he only won once, which was nevertheless at the GP de Québec, a meaningful win added to his palmarès.
Julian Alaphilippe's victory celebratrion on stage 15 of the Tour de France, despite having finished third, was a highlight
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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