Lefevere dismisses ‘pressure from the team’ in Julian Alaphilippe’s decision to race on fractured knee

Patrick Lefevere has played down the role of the team in encouraging Julian Alaphilippe to race on a fractured fibula head since Strade Bianche, with the Soudal-Quickstep manager describing the former World Champion as having ‘the final say’ in his decision to race.

Alaphilippe revealed that he had been racing on a fractured fibula head in an interview with Le Parisien earlier in April, reflecting that “It was the wrong decision to do that” and “I should have taken care of myself.”