The arrival of Evenepoel changed the structure of the Soudal-Quick Step and it will change them again. And even if no one says it, in the name of the Wolfpack and the brotherhood pact between riders, one of the first to pay the price is apparently Julian Alaphilippe (Specialized photo at the top). This will spice things up a bit, but on the other hand, it's a very clear signal. It continues to resonate in the head. a phrase said by Pozzato during the inspection of the gravel world championship.
«Lefevere does it like this – he said – It's okay as long as you're young, then move on to another one. Next up is Alaphilippe…».
One line below
We told you about the French on the evening of team presentation in De Panne. Isolated and wearing a mask, Julian had said a few words on stage and then disappearedThe risk of contagion would have been too high if it had been Covid. In reality, however,It was a simple cold, as confirmed by a negative swab This allowed him to join the team in Calpe for their second training camp and ensure continuity for his winter. The words he shared with his colleagues at L'Equipe are the underlying theme of the discussion.
"I'm super happy with my winter," he said. "Everything went the way I wanted. From a sporting perspective, the coming year can't be worse than the one I had in 2022. I drew a line under it, now I have the motivation, the grit, the anger... Call it what you want. I'm like before, I don't think about what happened anymore."
Lefevere's choice
Actually, 2022 would have been fine too, without that terrible fall at Liège where the captain had leftThe fact is that while he was struggling to climb back up the ladder, Evenepoel was climbing the rankings and suddenly Patrick Lefevere's change of tone he made it clear that the choice was in the air.
«He had a bit of bad luck, it's true – said the Belgian manager – but you can't hide for too longI had a frank and honest conversation with him this winter. I made him understand that if he was tired of this environment, he could leave us.But Julian replied that he absolutely wanted to stay in the team."
The first rider
His contract expires at the end of 2024, but certainly all the… protections he enjoyed while wearing the rainbow jersey have fallen away. The new Belgian sponsor is crazy about Remco, so Alaphilippe will also have to roll up his sleeves: a prospect that doesn't scare him, however.
"I am in a completely different state of mind Compared to last year, he said, when I had no choice but to accept my fate and get back up every time. I took some time for myself, and it did me a world of good. I don't feel like a new rider: I feel like the rider I was before.».
Flanders then Tour
So far so good, but the surprise for everyone was the change of program, which can be read in two different ways. It could have been his choice or it was the team's way of clearing the way for evenepoelThe Frenchman who won the Flèche Wallonne three times and was the protagonist in Liège, could in fact skip the Ardennes, in favour of a Flemish streak that will go from Harelbeke to Dwars door Vlaanderen, up to Flanders.
«Those Flemish races – he said – are races that excite me, because you never know what will happen. I like them, it's strange but maybe they suit me almost more than the Ardennes. Then I could think about getting to Liège, but I want to do a good preparation for the Tour de France, with lots of reconnaissance and a high-altitude retreat. I missed the Tour. And with the first stages in the Basque Country next summer, we'll have to be strong from the start."
