(Paris) Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe will compete in the Tour of Slovakia starting on Wednesday, June 26, the organization and the rider announced on Friday, which confirms his absence from the Tour de France which will start the following Saturday in Florence.
The double world champion (2020, 2021) is announced, with bib N.1, within the Soudal-Quick Step team on the official website of the Tour of Slovakia, an event he won in 2018.
“I am happy to announce my return to the Tour of Slovakia, I have very good memories of my last participation,” further declares the Frenchman in a video circulating on social networks, where he is seen filming himself at the training.
The Tour of Slovakia takes place from Wednesday June 26 to Sunday June 30, the day after the big start of the Tour de France in Florence, Italy, which marks the absence of the 32-year-old rider from the Great Loop (June 29-July 21). ).
If the Tour was not on his initial program this year, his return to form, after two difficult seasons, during the Tour of Italy last month had raised the possibility of the Frenchman’s presence.
The leader of the Quick Step, Remco Evenepoel, himself said he hoped to see the Frenchman support him in the Great Loop, which he will compete in for the first time.
The boss of the Belgian team Patrice Lefevere had nevertheless dashed hopes by declaring on June 4 to AFP that Julian Alaphilippe had “other objectives than the Tour de France”, referring in particular to the rider’s desire to compete in the road race of the Paris Olympics on August 3.
