Julian Alaphilippe Discussion Thread

[Zoef-Lightning]

RAF is about the same length, gradient, and distance from the finish as the final climb in the World Championship that Alaphilippe just won.

Not quite. Gallisterna - 11 % (16 %). LRA 9,5 % (14 %). After the "official" top of the LRA is situated a plateau and a second climb. That means that LRA is less suited for a grasshopper as Alaphilippe.

 

[fuiers]

They announced that Tim Declercq will replace Alaphillippe in Fleche Wallonne.

 

[Bardamu]

So probably LBL, Brabantse Pijl, Amstel and Flanders?

 

[@NL_LeMondFans]

Someone here in the forum said he might, I don't remember where because I'm starting to mix up the threads. But it makes way more sense that he's just skipping Flèche.
It's the race he can win more easily, but Liège is a monument and he's never won it. If he's bad in both races the sponsors won't be happy either.

At this point in the season, he has very little to gain at la Flèche. If he doesn't win, everybody will say that he partied too much or something... all this for a race he's already won twice.

It'd be great to see him fight for the win at Liège and Amstel, maybe even Flanders ?

 

[Red Rick]

At this point in the season, he has very little to gain at la Flèche. If he doesn't win, everybody will say that he partied too much or something... all this for a race he's already won twice.

It'd be great to see him fight for the win at Liège and Amstel, maybe even Flanders ?

I don't think there's much blame in partying too much, I think with all the attention he'll get, riding FW will be a significantly worse preperation for LBL, which is the bigger target.

I'll say this. If he doesn't win Lombardia in rainbow stripes Imma call him overrated.

 

[RedheadDane]

I'll say this. If he doesn't win Lombardia in rainbow stripes Imma call him overrated.

So, first he needs to re-win the rainbows next year? After all; isn't it back to normal schedule next year, with Lombardia being after the Worlds?

 

[Red Rick]

So, first he needs to re-win the rainbows next year? After all; isn't it back to normal schedule next year, with Lombardia being after the Worlds?

thatsthejoke.jpg

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

So, first he needs to re-win the rainbows next year? After all; isn't it back to normal schedule next year, with Lombardia being after the Worlds?

So it's really case of being disappointed if Remco doesn't win Lombardia next year?

First post - go easy on me.

 

[BlueRoads]

So, first he needs to re-win the rainbows next year? After all; isn't it back to normal schedule next year, with Lombardia being after the Worlds?

So he'll have two shots at LBL and none at Lombardia... good it's Alaphilippe who won it and not a climber.
Still a bit gutted that Pedersen did not get to wear his at Roubaix... can Ala not give it to him for Roubaix, since he's hardly going to race it? (I mean, not actually his, that one won't fit.)

 

[RedheadDane]

Still a bit gutted that Pedersen did not get to wear his at Roubaix... can Ala not give it to him for Roubaix, since he's hardly going to race it? (I mean, not actually his, that one won't fit.)

You don't think 70 kg Pedersen could squeeze into the jersey of 62 kg Alaphilippe?
Well, I suppose he could squeeze into it, but he wouldn't be able to do much more; breathing might become an issue...

 

[BlueRoads]

You don't think 70 kg Pedersen could squeeze into the jersey of 62 kg Alaphilippe?
Well, I suppose he could squeeze into it, but he wouldn't be able to do much more; breathing might become an issue...

And I think his belly button might show.

 

[RedheadDane]

And I think his belly button might show.

And that would be terrible!
Crop-top rainbow jersey... probably not gonna catch on!

 

[Jagartrott]

Nice new bike - I like that they chose black instead of white as the background colour (but probably I would've opted for a black steering wheel as well):

 

[BlueRoads]

Nice new bike - I like that they chose black instead of white as the background colour (but probably I would've opted for a black steering wheel as well):

Oh that's nice.

 

[thiscocks]

Mmmm, not bad but always think white is best for any WC livery

Also, should be a white saddle too

 

[Koronin]

I really don't like it.

Pedersen's was really nice. This one is in the category as EF's jerseys.

 

[Leinster]

Have we seen his kit yet? Hopefully this at least means he'll be wearing black shorts.

The bike does nothing for me. It looks like the bike you ride as a former WC. Literally anyone could ride that bike and not stand out.


Come to think of it, it's revealing that they've shown pics of it from the non-drive side. It looks like if you showed it from the other side, you literally wouldn't see any of the green, or a lot of the red, and it wouldn't be very rainbow any more at all.

 

[BlueRoads]

You really think Pedersen's bike stood out in a better way?

Okay, I'm not going to argue about design here anymore...

 

[Leinster]

You really think Pedersen's bike stood out in a better way?

Okay, I'm not going to argue about design here anymore...

It's not a "better v worse" thing. The Spesh is a nice enough looking paint job on a good looking frame.

But Mads' bike was, very clearly, the bike of a World Champion. You don't ride that bike unless you're also wearing a rainbow jersey, and won a 250km+ circuit race against the best road cyclists in the world.

I'd ride a bike with Alaf's colour scheme at my local group ride, and the most anyone would say is "nice bike." By jumbling up the rainbow colours, and putting them down on the lower part of the bike, they pretty much hide the whole "World Champ" thing. I'm all for understated, but I think this doesn't even state anything.

 

[Koronin]

It's not a "better v worse" thing. The Spesh is a nice enough looking paint job on a good looking frame.

But Mads' bike was, very clearly, the bike of a World Champion. You don't ride that bike unless you're also wearing a rainbow jersey, and won a 250km+ circuit race against the best road cyclists in the world.

I'd ride a bike with Alaf's colour scheme at my local group ride, and the most anyone would say is "nice bike." By jumbling up the rainbow colours, and putting them down on the lower part of the bike, they pretty much hide the whole "World Champ" thing. I'm all for understated, but I think this doesn't even state anything.

Valverde's was on the understated side, but still a World Champions bike. Mads was no question a World Champs bike. I agree this is just a bike with a bunch of colors on it.

 

[BlueRoads]

So it's about status?

 

[Leinster]

So it's about status?

If being the World Bicycle Riding Champion of the Whole Wide World isn't about status, then nothing is.

 

[BlueRoads]

If being the World Bicycle Riding Champion of the Whole Wide World isn't about status, then nothing is.

Well, personally I would be content with knowing what I have done. And he's wearing the jersey. But then he wore this watch, so maybe he's disappointed with his bike now.

 

[Leinster]

Well, personally I would be content with knowing what I have done. And he's wearing the jersey. But then he wore this watch, so maybe he's disappointed with his bike now.

I'm sure he's very happy with his watch and his jersey and his bike, and doesn't give a flying bidon what I could possibly think about any of it.

 

[jsem94]

That's a massive L lmao