After the controversy, the race: the Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe, at the heart of a psychodrama after the violent criticism of his boss Patrick Lefevere, wants to “return to the best version” of himself on Saturday during the Het Nieuwsblad circuit, the first great Belgian classic of the season.
“Too many parties, too much alcohol”, “under the control of -his partner- Marion Rousse”: the boss of the Soudal-Quick Step team did not go easy on it at the start of the week in the magazine Flemish Humo, about his runner who he criticizes for a lack of results given his big salary.
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The last few days have therefore not been easy for the double world champion (2020 and 2021), who has only raised his arms three times since his serious fall in Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2022.
Thursday evening, at a press conference, sitting next to his rider, the Flemish manager tried to relieve the pressure, admitting to having “perhaps” made a communication error and that his “Dutch language may have been misunderstood during a three-minute passage in a three-hour interview.
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Lefevere clarified that he had addressed reproaches directly to Alaphilippe during a meeting in November 2022, almost a year and a half ago, and that since then he has had nothing to complain about.
“I told him he had to do better and work hard, which Julian did. It was not my intention at all to offend him but the press picked up on it, his wife reacted and it made the headlines in France, in a completely unnecessary way,” he judged.
Marion Rousse, Alaphilippe’s partner and director of the Tour de France women, wrote on social networks that it was “inadmissible to attack” in such a way “(their) private lives”.
Thursday, during the reconnaissance of the course, the couple appeared in front of the Soudal-Quick Step team bus with their young son, in an apparently much more relaxed atmosphere.
The fact remains that this incident is a new episode of tensions between the French star and his boss for ten years now.
Last year, the 69-year-old Belgian manager regretted that Alaphilippe “eat up a large part of (his) budget” without great results, pointing to the Frenchman’s significant salary (estimated at 2.3 million euros per season). .
And, again in January, he criticized his “not very intelligent” way of running, while announcing his non-selection for the Tour this summer (June 29-July 21).
Also read Cycling: “Unacceptable to attack our private lives as it does”, Marion Rousse responds to Patrick Lefevere
In these conditions, in what mental state will the puncher, winner of Milan-San Remo 2019, arrive on Saturday departing from Ghent to face the wind, the rain, the cold and the legendary Mur de Grammont?
“My state of mind is at its best. I want to become the best version of myself again. I am not one of the favorites to win the Nieuwsblad, but my motivation is great,” he assured Thursday evening during the joint press conference with Lefevere, during which he remained silent on the controversy.
Facade speech? Those who saw him during reconnaissance noticed his “grinta”. And his recent sixth place at the Tour Down Under, in Australia, gives some reason for hope.
After the Nieuwsblad, where he finished in an anonymous 57th place during his only participation in 2021, he will participate on Sunday in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne before starting his Italian campaign (Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico, Milan-Sanremo) and to continue with his main objective at the start of the season: the Tour of Flanders at the end of March.
With the ambition intact to return to his best level, as he declared on Thursday: “I believe in my return to the forefront” and “I am working hard to get there”.
