Why Julian Alaphilippe can't win a Grand Tour – The Bradley Wiggins Show
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ByEurosport
Updated 18/08/2020 at 15:51 GMT
In the latest episode of the Bradley Wiggins Show podcast, Julian Alaphilippe’s credentials as a Grand Tour winner are examined after the Frenchman made some strong comments during the 2020 Criterium du Dauphine.
Julian Alaphilippe of France and Team Deceuninck - Quick-Step / during the 72nd Criterium du Dauphine 2020, Stage 5 a 153,5km stage from Megeve to Megeve 1458m / @dauphine / #Dauphiné / on August 16, 2020 in Megeve, France.
Image credit: Getty Images
Alaphilippe was in bullish mood ahead of the Dauphine on Sunday, saying he fancied it prior to the race, and adding:
"It feels good to suffer in the mountains and be close to winning," he said. "The Dauphine represents good preparation for the Tour."
It represented quite the change in tack from the Deceuninck-QuickStep rider, a point not lost on Wiggins.
"It’s a bit different to what he said a few weeks ago about not being in the form he wanted to be in,” said the 2012 Tour winner on the latest episode of The Bradley Wiggins Show podcast.
"But we saw him in San Remo last week and he’s clearly now brimming full of confidence towards the Tour next.
No [he can't win the Tour de France]. Unless he changes the way he rides because he rides on emotional energy and he leaves too much on the roads at the wrong times.
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'No, Julian Alaphilippe can't win Tour de France' - The Bradley Wiggins Show
Alaphilippe wore the race leaders' yellow jersey for some 14 stages during the 2019 running of the Tour, before the 28-year-old finally faded late on.
However, Wiggins doubts that the 2019 Milan–San Remo winner's style of riding can sustain another tilt at the maillot jaune.
"I don’t think we’ll ever see him have a Tour like he did last year," Wiggins continued on the podcast.
I may be wrong, but there was an element of riding on cloud nine, where I don’t think anyone expected him to be in that position, including himself.
"When you’re conscious that you’re capable of doing something like that, repeating it is quite hard again because maybe you over-think things. But I wouldn’t put anything past him."
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