The Frenchman met with the media before going on a training ride on the new Specialized Creo electric road bike.
Eight years have passed since the last time a Frenchman went into Le Tour’s first rest day with the yellow jersey on his shoulders. At that time, Julian Alaphilippe was only 19, still into cyclo-cross and more than two years away from starting his pro career with Deceuninck – Quick-Step, which has now taken him to the top of the Tour de France general classification.
Ten days into the race, where he is making just his third appearance, Julian is unquestionably the star of this edition, having caught everyone’s attention with his swashbuckling style, huge display of panache and excellent results. Each day, hundreds of fans come to see Loulou before and after the stage, having found in him the new hero of the French public, and for good reason, as Alaphilippe has been so far the standout rider of the season.
Not only supporters, but also journalists showed their enormous interest in Deceuninck – Quick-Step’s rider, dozens of members of the media attending the rest day press conference at the team’s hotel in Albi, where Specialized launched the new Creo electric road bike, which the riders used to go for a coffee ride on Tuesday.
“It has been a very good start to the Tour and having yellow after the first half of the race gives me a unique feeling. This is a special moment of my career and I’m motivated on honouring it on every stage. At the same time, I want to remain with my feet on the ground, because I’m aware that the hardest part is still to come”, said Alaphilippe, who commands a one-minute lead in the general classification over his closest opponents.
Asked about his chances of keeping the jersey until the Pyrenees, Julian was confident he can carry the prestigious garment for a few more days, but refuted the idea that he’s got a chance of arriving with it on the Champs-Élysées: “Everything is possible and I hope to surprise myself on the tough stages. I feel good, am confident, and would be really nice to have yellow for a couple of more days, but at this point, everything that comes will be a bonus and I want to enjoy every single moment in yellow. Of course, it’s one thing to wear the maillot jaune for a week, and another to ride into Paris with it. No matter what, I won’t change my approach and way of racing, because this is what gives me joy and brings a lot of pleasure to fans.”
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele/ Getty Images
