Julian Alaphilippe bids farewell to Soudal-Quick Step with a strong finish

Julian Alaphilippe, in his final months with Soudal-Quick Step, aimed to finish his tenure in style, as he demonstrated at the Clasica San Sebastián. The French puncher rode an aggressive race but was bested in the sprint by a stronger Marc Hirschi. Despite this, Alaphilippe was pleased with his performance, marking his return to the podium in a prestigious one-day race after some time.

"I'm happy to be on the podium of a major race again," the former world champion said in a post-race interview. "Of course, I'm also a bit disappointed because I was so close to victory," he admitted, revealing his competitive spirit. He had already put in a strong effort along the way, notably responding to an attack by Florian Lipowitz on the penultimate climb. "But yes, I think I rode a good race. I gave it my all. I'm happy with this second place."

Alaphilippe paid the price for his attack on the penultimate climb but managed to fight his way back to the leading group well in time for the Pilotegi. The final short but steep climb was ideally suited to Alaphilippe’s explosive style. "It was really tough. I felt good, so I rode at my own pace. I prefer that to suffering from the back. I pretended the finish was at the top, but Marc Hirschi was very strong. He then sprinted well. He's also very explosive, so I have no regrets," concluded Alaphilippe, who had earlier this year stood atop the podium at the Giro d'Italia.

Alaphilippe set for new horizons

Earlier today, the team manager of Soudal Quick Step, Patrick Lefevere, confirmed that Alaphilippe would be leaving the team after many years. "Julian called me this week to let me know he's leaving. He had spent nights awake and weeks feeling ill because of it, but he has informed me that he will be leaving the team."