In an interview with RMC Sport and France info, Julian Alaphilippe returned on Friday to the repeated attacks from Patrick Lefévère to which he has been the subject in recent months. The latest, targeting both the runner’s lifestyle as well as the influence of his partner, Marion Rousse, had raised a lively controversy. “He is seriously under Marion’s spell. Perhaps too much,” said the historic boss of Soudal-Quick Step in the columns of the Flemish newspaper Humo.
“I really managed to get away from it as much as I can, as I often do,” said the Soudal-Quick Step runner. After that it pissed me off more for Marion who didn’t ask for anything and who doesn’t like being in the stories at all. She didn’t appreciate being mixed up with comments like that that were useless and didn’t make sense. Some things are meant to be personal, and it’s a bit annoying when it’s out there all the time. Even though that has no reason to be. But for me, no, I detached myself from it. I don’t care, actually. »
Priority for the Giro, and the Games?
In this same interview Julian Alaphilippe confirmed that he would probably not be present in the 2024 Tour de France (June 29-July 21). The 2019 Vélo d’or confirmed the words of his manager Patrick Lefévère, who had announced that he would not a priori be at the start of the race in Florence (Italy).
On March 10, at the arrival of Paris-Nice, the leader of the Soudal-Quick Step team on the next Grande Boucle, the Belgian Remco Evenepoel, nevertheless suggested that he wanted to have the double world champion at his side : “I would love to have it with me. »
Questioned on the question, the main person concerned justified his probable absence from the three-week test: “That doesn’t mean anything to me. I think it will be a lot. » The 31-year-old rider will take part in the Giro (May 4-26) as a priority, before probably focusing on the road event of the Olympic Games, on a route that he might like. “It’s clear that it would be a source of pride (to participate),” said Alaphilippe.
