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Might a house Olympics be a catalyst for a Julian Alaphilippe revival?
It’s been just a few years since we’ve seen the flamboyant Frenchman in full circulation, together with his dazzling performances within the 2019 Tour de France being adopted by good world titles in 2020 and 2021.
His star has dimmed since then however there have been glimmers of that former swagger this season.
Taking victory on Sunday exhibits his kind is coming good and, equally importantly, provides him a psychological enhance earlier than lining out within the Olympic street race.
“The circuit, with the cobbles and that descent, was exhausting and demanding, however I loved it,” he mentioned after outsprinting Marc Hirschi and others to take the ultimate stage of the Czech Tour.
“I felt good right now and gave my finest, so I’m in fact delighted with this success. It’s good for morale earlier than travelling to Paris.”
This was the ultimate showdown between the 2 stars! ✨ Julian Alaphilippe outsprinted Marc Hirschi within the last and took the stage victory. #czechtour pic.twitter.com/h7FOyLsqaa
— Czech Tour Biking (@Czech_Tour) July 28, 2024
Driving properly on a punchy course is an efficient measure of kind previous to the robust Olympic street race in Paris.
That race takes in 14 climbs, together with three ascents of the Cote de la Butte Montmatre within the last 50km.
Alaphilippe has had a troublesome time of issues in recent times because of harm, and has been a way off his finest kind. Soudal Fast-Step group supervisor Patrick Lefevere has publicly blasted him on a number of events, however the now-32-year-old Frenchman has quietly set about rebuilding his situation.
This season is his finest since 2021, with sixth total within the early season Santos Tour Down Beneath a promising signal, as was ninth in Milan-San Remo.
Since then he has taken an outstanding stage victory within the Giro d’Italia, in addition to stage wins within the Tour of Slovakia and final week’s Czech Tour.
Issues are on the right track and he’s in a powerful way of thinking as the times tick right down to the Olympic street race on Saturday.
Alaphilippe has taken a bet to be at his finest. He will probably be up towards Tour de France-sharpened rivals similar to Mathieu van der Poel, however believes that his tactic of using the Giro somewhat than the Tour after which doing altitude coaching camps is one of the best path to a gold medal.
Saturday will present if that call was the appropriate one. If he’s again to his dazzling finest he’ll gentle up the streets of Paris and, identical to compatriot Pauline Ferrand Prévot within the MTB occasion, give the house crowd lots to cheer about.
