Julian Alaphilippe, now 33, returned to competitive form during stage 2 of the Tour de France after falling ill before the race. He moved to Tudor Pro Cycling and previously placed fifth overall at the Tour de Suisse. The French crowd were excited to see him near the front, hoping for a stage win. However, he aimed to assist teammate Marc Hirschi instead, finishing fifth himself. Alaphilippe expressed mixed emotions, recognizing improvement from his previous days while still feeling disappointment with the outcome.
Alaphilippe is now 33 but appears to be getting back to his best this season after a move to Tudor Pro Cycling. He was fifth overall at the Tour de Suisse and used that form to secure a place in the 26-rider front group on Sunday.
The French crowd cheered Alaphilippe's name because they hoped his early surge was a brave attempt to win the stage. However, Alaphilippe told Cyclingnews just beyond the finish line that he was actually trying to set up fellow Tudor team leader Marc Hirschi for the twisting, uphill sprint.
If I compare to where I was a few days ago and even to yesterday, which was a terrible day for me, today was better. I'm happy to have been in the front.
Merde, ma allee ... (Shit - come on....) Alaphilippe let out with a mix of disappointment and encouragement.
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