The double World Champion looks forward to his tenth season with Soudal Quick-Step.
06-Jan-2023: For Julian Alaphilippe, this year will be a special one, as it will mark a decade since he joined the Wolfpack, making him one of the longest-tenured riders in the current roster. In this time, the charismatic Frenchman has built a remarkable palmares, featuring two world titles, Milano-Sanremo, a hat-trick of victories in Flèche Wallonne, Strade Bianche, Clasica San Sebastian and half a dozen stage wins at the Tour de France.
In 2023, he’ll look not just to add more silverware to his trophy cabinet, but also to shrug off the disappointment of last season, when a mix of illness and bad luck ruined many of his goals. As he gears up to kick off his campaign – which will happen in a couple of weeks’ time, at the Challenge Mallorca, an event which he’ll race for the first time since 2014 – the Frenchman talked about his expectations for the coming months, which include a return to one of his favourite races, De Ronde.
“I’m incredibly motivated for this year after what has been a very difficult 2022. I took time to recover physically and mentally, then worked hard this winter to return to my top level for the goals that I have set. First and foremost, I hope to have a strong start to the season. I have a nice calendar and I hope to be up there in every race, help the team and get some wins. My first major target will be the Ronde van Vlaanderen. It’s a race that I love and I hope to do good there”, said Julian, who played a key role in the team’s victory there back in 2021.
After the Challenge Mallorca, the 30-year-old will race the Ardèche Classic and Drôme Classic, before traveling to Italy, where in a span of just three weeks he’ll line out for Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico and Milano-Sanremo, the season’s first Monument.
