Sports Fuat

The answer is no. In case Julian Alaphilippe should miss the Tour de Francefollowing his serious crash in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Remco Evenepoel has no intention of changing his plans and taking on the role of leader of the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl team on the Grand Boucle. “No, we’re not going to do that”replied the young Belgian during the Belgian television program Extra Time Rate. « We haven’t even thought about it yet. And that won’t happen. The schedule is set. Last year, we made the mistake of changing the program too much,” added the winner of the “Doyenne”, who planned to contest the Tour of Spain later in the season.

Consultant for the Cyclism’ Actu site, Cyrille Guimard understands the embarrassment of the Belgian team, which could still count on its sprinter Fabio Jakobsen to seek victories on the Tour. ” I don’t think they know. I think in this situation it is urgent to take your time and stay calm, explains the “Druid”. It will still be difficult if Julian Alaphilippe is not at the start that Remco Evenepoel is not. Now does Evenepoel want to be there? Is he in his head formatted for this? This year I don’t think that’s the case. We don’t leave on the Tour arriving at short notice, you still have to have the time to get into it, and he can’t go there like a team. We will expect him to tickle Pogaçar and the other favourites. He will also surely have his say and there is the evolution of Julian on a purely medical level, it is still what will give the ‘the’ on what will happen behind. »

Everything will indeed depend on the state of health of Alaphilippe. In fgeneral, runners who are victims of serious injuries like those suffered by the double world champion (scapula fracture, rib fracture, etc.) need several months to return to competition. For the Frenchman, we should know more by June. “Si Julian is arrested for a month, he will not do the Tour, believes Cyrille Guimard. So the question arises of whether we go there without a leader. The real question is there, from the moment you no longer have a leader, the sponsors will ask for a headliner at team level. They are surely still cautious and reserved and they are right to be. »

Alaphilippe, the serious accusations of his teammate https://t.co/S6BpU1Emth

— Sports.fr (@sports_fr) May 1, 2022