Like Simon Yates, who surprised everyone by announcing his early retirement on Wednesday, Julian Alaphilippe is also 33 and has a successful career behind him. The Frenchman knows his best years, of Monument wins and rainbow jerseys, are perhaps behind him, but he is still hungry and still happy to start a new season.
“I’m clearly nearer the end of my career. I still have two years on my contract, but it’s clear that I have less time left. But I still really have a lot of ‘grinta’,” Alaphilippe said, using the Italian word for grit and determination to highlight his sense of motivation.
Alaphilippe sat centre stage at the Tudor media day in Moraira on the Spanish coast. He was flanked by new signing and cobbled Classics leader Stefan Küng and stage race leader Michael Storer.
The Australian will target the GC at the Giro and then probably stages at the Tour. Küng will also ride the Tour and inspire Tudor in the opening Barcelona team time trial. Alaphilippe will target Strade Bianche and then the Ardennes classics, with the Tour still a distant but much loved summer objective.
Alaphilippe’s first season in Tudor’s red and black colours was disrupted by illness in key moments, especially in the spring but he fought all year, often worked for his teammates and won the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec.
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