Julian Alaphilippe unsure on Soudal Quick-Step future, could retire: ‘I don’t know where I will be next year’

Julian Alaphilippe has admitted his Soudal Quick-Step and professional future is uncertain at the end of 2024.

The 31-year-old finished sixth on GC in the Santos Tour Down Under – his first race of the season – as the 31-year-old hopes for a bounceback year following injuries, illness and a lack of wins in 2022 and 2023.

Alaphilippe could only manage fourth on the punchy Willunga Hill stage in Australia that would’ve been his bread and butter in years past, with British rising star Oscar Onley taking victory three seconds ahead.

“To be honest, I took every season of my career like it’s the last one,” Alaphilippe said. “I never think ‘f***, it’s my contract year’ or ‘oh, last year I won a lot so this year I don’t care.’ Every new season I started like I won nothing before. I always think like this.

“To be honest, I don’t know where I will be next year, if I continue in the team or if I continue cycling, I don’t know.”

However, Alaphilippe said he’d requested a change in goals – alongside targeting the Belgian Classics.

“I don’t care [about Lefevere’s comments], I just do what I have to do,” he added. “I think now I am really busy, I give my best every day, I also know how professional I am, so I just do my job and he does his job. I think now he is quite busy and so am I, so if we have to talk together, we always do and the relationship is always ok.”

“This year, I want to come back to my best level. The goal is to be at 100% for the Flemish Classics, especially the Tour of Flanders, with the Giro after.

“It’s nice to have new goals. “It’s mostly a decision that came from myself, because a few years ago I said to my team that I want to go to the Giro one time in my career.

“You shouldn’t think that the Giro is easier than the Tour or the Vuelta. There are always guys at 100%, in every race. I know the Giro is one of the hardest races, as I have seen on television. We will have a strong team with a sprinter and a lot of opportunities.”