The double world champion, whose 2022 season had been spoiled by falls and injuries, won Saturday on the Ardèche Classic. Its first success since last July.
mo12345lemonde with AFP
It had been seven months since he had raised his arms on a cycling race. On Saturday February 25, Julian Alaphilippe returned to victory by winning at Guilherand-Granges, at the end of the 168.5 kilometers of the Ardèche Classic. The Belgian training runner Sudal-Quick-Step has ahead of his escaped companion David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ).
in the sprint.
🏆 Victory for Julian Alaphilippe!
In front of David Gaudu, the double world champion wins on the Ardèche Clas… https://t.co/ooq7tpzbbw
The double world champion 2020 and 2021 had not won since July 27, 2022 and the inaugural stage of the Tour de Wallonia. His last season had been polluted by falls and injuries. He had only experienced one other success: during the second stage of the Tour du Pays Basque, in April.
This victory on the accidental layout Ardéchois intervenes in a context of tension with the manager of his team, the Belgian Patrick Lefevere, dissatisfied with the recent performances of his runner.
“All the work of the latter weeks “
“It’s been a long time, when I think back to my last victory. Having been a lot of things since. It validates all the work of recent weeks. I knew that my condition was better and today ‘Hui I’m really happy because the team delivered a great job. Then we collaborated with David Gaudu, “reacted the 30 -year -old in the arrival zone.
The two men escaped 23 kilometers from the finish when approaching the climb of Saint-Romain-de-Lerps, 6 kilometers long with 10 % elevation. They were unable to decide in the last difficulty of the day, the Val d’Enfer, until Alaphilippe settles his companion to escape the sprint.
“I really wanted to cross this last bump and bet everything on the sprint. Because I saw that in this long ascent, when I attacked, he immediately replied. I knew that this would still be long until the arrival. I bet on my little speed of speed and it did, “said the puncher.
Recognizing “relief”, he also insisted on the “sacrifices” granted to “perfect [s] provided for all the races that arrive”. Julian Alaphilippe will start from Strade Bianche on March 4, and Tirreno-Adriatico, from March 6 to 12.
For his part, David Gaudu, fourth in the last Tour de France, admitted that he had “missed a little explosiveness against Julian”. But he has “nothing to regret”: “there is a little disappointment but I am satisfied to see that the form is there when Paris-Nice presents itself.” The race for the sun which will take place, it, March 5 to 12.