Tour de France 2024: Julian Alaphilippe should be absent from the Soudal-Quick Step group for the Grande Boucle

Alaphilippe devrait être privé de Tour. MAXPPP – Laurent Lairys

Julian Alaphilippe, chouchou du public français, ne participera "a priori" pas au Tour de France en 2024, a indiqué le patron de son équipe Soudal-Quick Step Patrick Lefevere mardi à Calpe, dans le sud-est de l'Espagne.

"A priori no, because seeing Julian as 100% domestic by Remco Evenepoel, I don'like that image", declared Lefevere on the sidelines of the presentation from his team about the former double world champion whose contract expires at the end of the year.

Winner of six stages of the Tour de France and wearer of the yellow jersey for a total of 18 days, "Alaf", 31, remains on two very mixed seasons which have regularly attracted criticism of Lefevere against one of the highest salaries on his team.

🇫🇷 Julian Alaphilippe will be at the start of Omloop Nieuwsblad this season!

This is what we know about his 2024 schedule already:
✅ Tour Down Under
✅ Omloop Nieuwsblad
✅ Strade Bianche
✅ Milano-Sanremo
✅ Tour of Flanders pic.twitter.com/a1SgW73hfm

— Domestique (@Domestique___) January 9, 2024

At the 2024 Tour de France (June 29-July 21), Soudal-Quick Step will bet everything on Remco Evenepoel who has gradually taken power within the Belgian team and who will start the Grande Boucle for the first time. Alaphilippe, who is currently in Australia where he will compete in the Tour Down Under for the first time in ten years next week, is expected to take part in the Tour of Italy (May 4-26).

"I think the Giro suits his style as an impulsive runner, not always intelligent but who people like", said Lefevere.

#TourDownUnder 🦘 / 🇫🇷 Julian Alaphilippe (SOQ) est très patient avec ses coéquipiers 😂 pic.twitter.com/cJy6Ee0bPf

— Renaud Breban (@RenaudB31) January 9, 2024

Asked about the Frenchman's reaction to his probable non-selection for the Tour, he said: “A disgruntled rider in a team is useless. He had the opportunity to leave because several teams sought to recruit him. I had discussions with him, but the year before, not last year.

I said the things I wanted to say but I'm not someone who repeats myself. We reached an agreement. He said to me: Patrick, give me one more winter. It's up to him now to show it. I like riders who respond to the pedal and he will do that. I think he is still capable of producing results."