Marion Rousse is obviously still in the throat the decision of the QuickStep not to select Julian Alaphilippe for the Tour de France.
Far from the Tour de France, Julian Alaphilippe is nonetheless in the process of pinning a bib. The tricolor double world champion will indeed make his big return to competition on Saturday, on the occasion of the Tour de Wallonie. His recovery race, a month after his participation in the French championships and especially three months after his violent fall during Liège-Bastogne-Liège. This return to “France” was not enough to convince Patrick Lefévère and the leaders of the QuickStep, who had decided not to retain him for the Tour de France.
Read also: Pogacar confesses
“I need a little time, but yes, I understand. It’s hard to take because I worked hard for it. I left for an internship in Sierra Nevada just over three weeks after my fall. If I hadn’t thought I could do the Tour, I would never have resumed training so soon. But I’ll say it again: I understand the choice of my team.”had explained the native of Saint-Amand-Montrond, visibly aware of his precarious state of form.
If Patrick Lefevere listens to us…
“We are not going to lie to each other, it was very hard for us and for our sponsor not to select him for the Tour this year because he is a double world champion, French and extremely popular, for his part, recently entrusted Patrick Lefévère. Not long ago, he said to his friend and team-mate Dries Devenyns: ‘finally, fortunately I’m not on the Tour this year otherwise I would break down after eight days.’ Our decision not to have selected it therefore seems justified. » However, this justification does not seem to have convinced Marion Rousse.
Read also:Gaudu’s big rantShameful fiasco in sight on the TourFrance TV: The controversy swells on the Tour
Present on the set of the show Vélo Club at the end of the 17e stage, the companion of Julian Alaphilippe indeed slipped a tackle intended for Patrick Lefévère when it was a question of the Tour de France 2023 and the first stages which could be favorable to the French puncher, according to Christian Prudhamme, the director of the Tour de France. “If Patrick Lefevere listens to us, the message has passed…”, she launched to the big boss of the Quick-Step. A short sentence which did not fail to react to his friend Laurent Jalabert. ” That’s a tackle! », he breathed, visibly amused.