If this thread is to be renamed, the only correct name is:
Julian Alaphilippe Celebration Thread
Julian Alaphilippe Celebration Thread
The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to
In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.
Thanks!
Totally agree. He' an amazing racer. I'm excited to see how he will try to sneak the overall GC in Provence today.I'm applying for this thread title to be changed to "The Amazing Alaphilippe".
For the past two years he has practically lightened up every race he entered. Either he's on stunning form and cruises to success or he fails, but even than it's close to spectacular, for whatever reasons. He always gives his all. I know they all say they do, but Alaphilippe obviously does, even when as a spectator you have no clue what it's for, when there is no direct reward to be gained. One might hold that against him, regard it as an unnecessary show, but he just makes a race a race.
In an age with many riders to cheer on, it’s good to have an antagonist. May Voeckler 2.0 have a lousy season.
Says the fella with the Tom "coke and schoolgirls" Boonen avatarIn an age with many riders to cheer on, it’s good to have an antagonist. May Voeckler 2.0 have a lousy season.
No matter how good legs he has, he’s a clown.
While he at times was soft and whiny, for all of his career he was breathing class. The epitome of a champion.Says the fella with the Tom "coke and schoolgirls" Boonen avatar
If this thread is to be renamed, the only correct name is:
Julian Alaphilippe Celebration Thread
It's debatable... I could argue that Roglic, Van Aert, Van Der Poel are better, for example.
No way. Maybe results wise, yes but Alaf is a class act on the bike. He rides with a passion no one can match in the current peloton. He's the most spectacular rider in the world.
It's debatable... I could argue that Roglic, Van Aert, Van Der Poel are better, for example.
That didn't stop Boonen and Cancellara being among the very best riders of the current century...I can't see VDP climbing with the best.
That didn't stop Boonen and Cancellara being among the very best riders of the current century...
did Sagan just retire? If not how is he not in this discussion? 1 bad season (for him) and he's done?It is a great debate. I think WvA could match Alaf for all around talent, although I'm pretty sure he would have been dropped on Ventoux going up against Alaf.
On the other hand, WvA and VdP are better pure sprinters. On the other, other hand, JA is an animator, whether or not he has the form.
But if you had to pick one rider for every type of race, I think JA is the best all-arounder right now.
I tend to watch cycling in the moment rather than with a historical eye, but having JA, the 2 CX guys, Pogacar and Remco in top form feels like we're truly blessed. And we 've still got Sagan and the older generation of GT riders still hanging on.
I did leave out Roglic on purpose. TBH I've cooled a bit on him only because the five riders I mentioned above are really exciting to watch as well as talented. But maybe Roglic has an epic ride in him this year and I'll throw him in the bag...
did Sagan just retire? If not how is he not in this discussion? 1 bad season (for him) and he's done?
did Sagan just retire? If not how is he not in this discussion? 1 bad season (for him) and he's done?
I have listed Sagan with the previous "generation" despite his age. I saw only one performance last year -- at the Giro -- to match his mid-2010s level. The other riders I listed had great years in 2020, in some cases both before and after lockdowns.
Sagan at, say, Richmond level was unbeatable. Sagan 2020 looked distinctly beatable. I'm happy to be proven wrong, the more riders with flair and the talent to back it up, the better. (Edit: It's true, he's not a climber, but he's done pretty well on courses like Bergen where you'd think he might not have been able to survive)