Cold anger after reading the new release from Patrick Lefevere, the boss of the Soudal-Quick Step team towards his rider Julian Alaphilippe, whom he accuses of abusing alcohol and being under the influence of Marion Rousse, his partner and mother of his son.
Pascal Chanteur, the president of the UNCP, the professional union of French cyclists, is furious. As a preamble, he would like to point out that even if Julian Alaphilippe is a member of the UNCP, he has not, for the moment, received any mandate from it. “I will have him on the phone soon but for now, I am reacting on behalf of the union and not Julian,” he specifies.
And this reaction is scathing. “Mr. Lefevere’s words are disproportionate and inexplicable,” asserts Pascal Chanteur. It is incomprehensible to see a business leader behave like this. In an average company, we would use the only valid word: Julian Alaphilippe is a victim of harassment. Because this release is not the first. It is a deplorable, degrading and, above all, repetitive attitude. »
For the boss of the UNCP, Alaphilippe’s reaction could be complicated. “He is an employee like any other and, faced with this type of attitude, no one knows how he could react. Julian is emotional and it is not forbidden to believe that he could be affected and fall into a depressive state. Because what he experiences is of great moral violence. It is publicly thrown out to pasture with ambiguous terms. »
Because, for Singer, the use of the term “alcohol” in Lefevere’s statements is unacceptable. “To say that an employee has a problem with alcohol is scandalous,” he continues. Is he talking about some parties or does he think Julian is addicted? In this case, he should warn the team doctor and not public opinion? And when I see the way he treats one of his best riders, I wonder how he acts with the team’s assistants or mechanics? »
Regarding the contract (DSLR: an extension in 2021 for a salary of 2.3 million annually after the Frenchman’s second world champion title), Singer wants to put the wheels back in place. “This contract was Lefevere who proposed and signed it. When in the middle of the Covid period, Julian agreed to lower his emoluments by 20%, he was very happy. He didn’t ask himself if his rider had been drinking before signing, right? That year, Julian had shown kindness towards Mr. Lefevere. I ask him to do the same and stop his harassment. »
