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Julian Alaphilippe has confirmed that he will likely be participating within the Giro d’Italia this 12 months, opting to make his debut within the Italian Grand Tour at 31 slightly than race within the Tour de France.
The previous double world champion will thus miss out on the much-anticipated debut of his teammate Remco Evenepoel within the Tour, which Alaphilippe has raced six instances within the final eight years, and can as a substitute lead the Soudal-QuickStep group in Italy in Might.
Alaphilippe was not current on the Soudal-QuickStep group presentation in Calpe on Tuesday as he at present is in Australia to race the Santos Tour Down Under.
However in an interview with L’Équipe, the previous Tour de France chief and stage winner confirmed his shift of program to the Giro d’Italia for 2024. Previous to his debut within the Italian Grand Tour, the Frenchman may also return to extra acquainted terrain at Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo – both of which he won in 2019 – Tirreno-Adriatico and the Flemish Classics.
Concerning the choice to do the Giro slightly than the Tour, Alaphilippe stated, “It’s certainly not a punishment or a non-selection. Doing the Giro has been in the back of my thoughts for a while now.
“The query was extra to do with ‘When shall I resolve to go?’ and I believed ‘why not this 12 months? [races in] Australia, the Classics and the Giro, I felt like a change.”
Alaphilippe claimed that when he advised the thought to Patrick Lefevere, the QuickStep boss had agreed, apparently saying that he didn’t wish to see Alaphilippe working for Evenepoel within the Tour.
“It’s neither my remit nor my full value to try this,” Alaphilippe informed L’Équipe.
He denied that he would have had issues working for Evenepoel, mentioning that he had executed so within the Vuelta a España 2022, which the Belgian gained. Slightly his argument in favour of not repeating that function within the 2024 Tour de France was extra to do with having totally different objectives.
When it was identified to him that in a contract 12 months, not going to the Tour may seem like he was not prepared to associate with the group’s total technique, Alaphilippe stated, “I do know it could possibly be seen like that, however actually, I don’t care.
“It’s my resolution, I designed my program and it was confirmed by the group in order that approach we’d go for stage wins within the Giro after which the GC [with Evenepoel] within the Tour.”
Alaphilippe stated he had a rollercoaster season in 2023, preceded by an excellent harder 2022, the place he had a serious crash and severe damage at Liège-Bastogne-Liège adopted by COVID-19, lacking the Tour and one other unhealthy fall within the Vuelta.
He confirmed he can be wanting ahead to getting again on observe this Spring, with a full program of Italian and Belgian racing, culminating with the Tour of Flanders, at present on his schedule.
“Final 12 months wasn’t simple by any means,” he stated, “and when there have been discussions [with the team] it wasn’t at all times simple. However I took a step again, the break has executed me quite a lot of good and after a really easy winter, I really feel good, relaxed. That’s typically a very good signal, and that is not one thing I’ve felt for fairly some time.”
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