After the Tour of Flanders, Julian Alaphilippe’s belt went off for a while. The world champion did a short internship in the south of Spain and in the meantime also found the time to extend his contract with Deceuninck-Quick Step.
“It was a good decision to take a rest period after the Tour, instead of continuing to work hard,” said the Frenchman. “I was able to train in good conditions in Spain.”
Alaphilippe is not worried about its shape. “I made a conscious decision to take my foot off the accelerator. I feel fine now”, it sounds. “I’ll be ready for what’s coming now. Anyway, I’ve done everything I can.”
–
In the last edition of the Amstel Gold Race in 2019, Alaphilippe finished 4th, his best result. Now the riders await a completely different circuit, including 12 times the Cauberg. “It will be even more nervous than usual,” the Frenchman concluded after the reconnaissance.
“There will be a lot less time to recover, so it will be even more important to place yourself well. With all those local rounds it will be a bit like a World Cup, but I like that.”
Alaphilippe receives support in the Netherlands from Mauri Vansevenant, among others. “Mauri was very strong in the Basque Country. We know he can do this, he also showed that last year in the Flèche Wallonne”, says the world champion, who will keep an eye on Van Aert and Pidcock. “If you saw Pidcock in the Brabantse Pijl then you know that he can also win the Amstel Gold Race.”
–
:quality(85)//cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/FOD4EOXOVREDPGPBQGR6YUZPBA.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1)