'It's not about revenge' - Julian Alaphilippe speaks out ahead of Tour of Flanders
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Updated 03/04/2021 at 15:38 GMT
Julian Alaphilippe was part of the winning attack in the 2020 edition of the Tour of Flanders before crashing out of the race 35 kilometres before the finish line. But Alaphilippe insists he is not seeking revenge and is completely focused on the present ahead of Sunday's Tour of Flanders.
Julan Alaphillipe
Image credit: Getty Images
Julian Alaphilippe says that revenge is not on his mind ahead of Sunday’s Tour of Flanders after crashing out of the 2020 race.
Alaphilippe was part of the winning attack before crashed 35 kilometres from the finish line, and Alpecin Fenix’s Mathieu van der Poel went on to win the race.
But Alaphilippe insists he has put that behind him and remains focused on the present.
"I really don't have the revenge feeling. For me, it's behind me now. We're in 2021 and it's a new edition," Alaphilippe said during a virtual press conference. "The condition is different; the race will be different. I forgot what happened.
"For sure, what happened last year was a bad moment for me and the team because after that we were on a bad situation. It's not a revenge for me and no, I don't think about what I could've done if I didn't crash. That's life. It happened to me and I accept it. I did everything to recover, and now I'm focused on Sunday."
Alaphilippe is among the favourites for Sunday’s race, alongside Van der Poel and Jumbo Visma’s Wout van Aert, who finished second in 2020.
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