The double World Champion looks forward to his tenth season with Soudal Quick-Step.
For Julian Alaphilippe, this year will be a special one, as it will mark a decade since he joined the Wolfpack, making him one of the longest-tenured riders in the current roster. In this time, the charismatic Frenchman has built a remarkable palmares, featuring two world titles, Milano-Sanremo, a hat-trick of victories in Flèche Wallonne, Strade Bianche, Clasica San Sebastian and half a dozen stage wins at the Tour de France, where he also took the polka-dot jersey.
In 2023, he’ll look not just to add more silverware to his trophy cabinet, but also to shrug off the disappointment of last season, when a mix of illness and bad luck ruined many of his goals. As he gears up to kick off his campaign – which will happen in a couple of weeks’ time, at the Challenge Mallorca, an event which he’ll race for the first time since 2014 – the Frenchman talked about his expectations for the coming months, which include a return to one of his favourite races, De Ronde.
“I’m incredibly motivated for this year after what has been a very difficult 2022. I took time to recover physically and mentally, then worked hard this winter to return to my top level for the goals that I have set. First and foremost, I hope to have a strong start to the season. I have a nice calendar and I hope to be up there in every race, help the team and get some wins. My first major target will be the Ronde van Vlaanderen. It’s a race that I love and I hope to do good there”, said Julian, who played a key role in the team’s victory there back in 2021.
After the Challenge Mallorca, the 30-year-old will race the Ardèche Classic and Drôme Classic, before traveling to Italy, where in a span of just three weeks he’ll line out for Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico and Milano-Sanremo, the season’s first Monument.
Photo credit: ©Wout Beel
