"Win a stage would be fantastic. That’s really my objective" - Julian Alaphilippe hoping to rediscover top-form at the Giro d'Italia

After a relatively quiet few years compared to his blistering spell prior, Julian Alaphilippe will avert his attentions away from the Tour de France in 2024, targeting the Giro d'Italia instead.

“It’s good news. It was a few years ago that I was saying that I wanted to do the Giro once in my career. It was a good year, I had wanted change," the French star of Soudal - Quick-Step told Eurosport. “I am super focused on the Flanders Classics. I hope to achieve my objective to be at my physical peak for the start of those races. After that, I will think of the Giro. I’m already excited.”

With stage wins to his name already at both the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana, Alaphilippe could complete the Grand Tour hat-trick in 2024. “That’s one objective, not a dream, but it’ll be good,” he says of that chance. “To discover the Giro and win a stage would be fantastic. That’s really my objective. I will be very happy."

“I am not going for the general classification so nothing changes for me. I’m going to be there at the start, I will have the same ambitions," he concludes. “In July at the Tour de France, the team will be aligned with Evenepoel and there will be the target of winning the GC. There won’t be total freedom. The GC is the No. 1 priority at the start of the Tour, that’s what drives everything. At the Giro, everything will be done differently.”