You love him, the French. Julian Alaphilippe thrilled once more at the Tour de France – with its furious stage victory in the vineyards of the Champagne. His drive is actually an anachronism.
The plot: Julian Alaphilippe his bike balanced increase in the circuit up
Once he is testing you, he’s Serious: After a first Anzupfen Julian Alaphilippe goes to the Côte de Mutigny a second Time out of the saddle and everyone in the shrunken Peloton white: Buckle up, now it is really fast. Where they harvest the grapes for the noble champagne, it is high proof: Just in the steepest piece of the 900 metres short, but with an average of 12.2 percent a very demanding increase in the Frenchman delivers. In a wild staccato of his wiry legs pounding the pedals uphill, balancing his bike is always faster. No one can follow, not even the Colombians Egan Bernal, for many of the favourites of this Tour de France. Julian Alaphilippe from hunting, and the French Fans on the edge of the pegs.
Many had on the 215-kilometre 3. Tour stage from Binche to Epernay, in the steep ramps of the vineyards of the Champagne region anticipated an attack from Alaphilippe, the love of this Terrain, and to beat even in the hilly classics is hardly. He dared it, and a good 16 kilometres took, while the competition waited and on a late decision in the final set, the 27-Year-old. And it is the real reason for its popularity. The French Fans love his courageous, unflinching and unpredictable ride.
From the drummer to the wheel-pop star
Julian Alaphilippe will not be going to watts data or radio commands from the team vehicle, like the remote-controlled acting of Chris Froome. Julian Alaphilippe loves full throttle. “I always drive, as it may: on the offensive. Wait I’m not.” And you can see that. Alaphilippe, contrary to hunt in the last downhill at breakneck Position to the target, crouching on the top tube of his bike, to be able to still be smaller make in the wind. After a final rise, he has managed double-blow from a stage win and a Yellow Jersey. “Not until you have me pulled the Jersey over, I realized what happened,” said the Deceuninck-Quickstep-professional in the target. “I can’t believe what happened today. From this scenario, I have dreamed,” said the new overall leader, had to fight on the Podium with the tears. Also, as he later explained, because to him in his head, what had he done anything to get here.
Alaphilippe comes from the valley of the river Cher, a Region without significant topographic surveys. First of all, little hints at a sporting career, because he comes from a musical family and early starts with the drums playing. In another life, he would become a drummer, says Alaphilippe, whose father is an orchestra master. But it is different. The theoretical to the music is to him dry, and he proposes the offer of a music lesson. His great movement, it drives the urge instead of on a bike. “I always need activity in my life, so I am”, he told in January, the author of these lines, and that it’s been hard for him to sit still. In life as on the bike.
A counter-proposal for the calculation of à la Ineos
In France everyone is talking about: Julian Alaphilippe an Entertainer is on the wheel and next to
The attack is so in his nature. Hour-long, power-saving Drive in the Peloton bored him, as he says. And that’s where he stands out: the Era of The Sky and Ineos tour winner Bradley Wiggins (2012), Chris Froome (2013, 2015-2017) and Geraint Thomas (2018) is characterized by a calculated driving style. No impetuous attacks of the competition with a consistently high Tempo, wear down, and once in the lead, the lead of efficiently manage this formula is the recipe for success of the strongest Cycling Team in the world, it can be summarized. The French audience (and not only) is annoyed by the oppressive and implacable dominance of the British. This is also why Alaphilippes way of driving is so spectacular, so liberating. Because it seems to spring from another time.
In modern Cycling benefits can be on the mountain in advance is mathematically calculated, an analysis of the watt data to avoid Surprises, success can be planned to make. Some of the Teams on their Tour squad, in the meantime, on the basis of performance data. The driver is to a number. Julian Alaphilippe won’t have it. He moves his attack to the feeling, and says himself that he is actually an anachronism: “I think in Cycling, as he was earlier, I could have way, me with my driving, even better, to unfold, would have had more success.” In France, he is now a wheel-pop star, has happy times with snappy sayings, Swipe for team-mates or a small show.
Now he is the first Frenchman in the coveted “Maillot Jaune” for the past five years. But Alaphilippe is wise enough for you to Wake up now no hopes of tour victory. To many of his countrymen are broken at the load of the burden of ranking driver. These errors he does not want to repeat, especially since he’d have to significantly more to wait-and-see. Alaphilippe takes the Tour this year, “day to day” and will probably squint as in the previous year to more stage wins and the mountain Jersey. For both “attack” it. And the he is also.
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Who will win the Tour de France?Who makes the race?
Even without the hard-to-ousted Chris Froome it will be a thrilling race. The Tour de France promises to be a voltage, even if the current Sky Team (sponsors exchange is now Ineos) again the strongest. Our candidates check shows, who could be the British dangerous…
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Who will win the Tour de France?10 Enric Mas (Deceuninck-Quickstep)
Sunken cheeks, deeply seated eyes, spindly limbs and short cropped head of hair – Enric Mas many a viewer’s horror. However, the 24-year-old Spaniard is very healthy and extremely in shape. As a strong climber, he was drove to 2018, surprisingly Second in the Vuelta, this year, but so far unremarkable. Forecast: It’s not enough for the whole of the front.
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Who will win the Tour de France?9 Nairo Quintana (Movistar)
The time from Nairo Quintana is already over? From 2013 to 2016, he rode at the Tour, Giro and Vuelta will always be on the places one to four, was on the mountain a Power. But lately, the silence of Colombians, the media appointments falters shy and usually is shielded, of all the serious climbs. It is likely to be his last Chance as a captain in the Tour. Forecast: He doesn’t use them.
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Who will win the Tour de France?8 Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale)
Hopes weigh heavy Bardet on the narrow shoulders of Romain. The lanky climber is to end the long losing streak to the Frenchman in the Tour. In the last few years, it looked as if he could come closer to this goal. However, currently Bardet, who has a University degree in Management follows, its Form and the opponents. Prediction: Lose in the time trial too much time.
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Who will win the Tour de France?7 Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott)
“We have taken different paths, but we are very close and talk daily to each other,” says Adam Yates, over his relationship with his twin brother, Simon. Both are talented contenders for the overall classification. In France, Simon was at the Giro captain will continue, probably for Adam. In the mountains, well, in the time trial and solid. Forecast: you Can play, but not win.
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Who will win the Tour de France?6 Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe)
From the talented riders to podium candidate Emanuel Buchmann has in preparation a strong impression of the race left. The mountain of silence Schwabe is now one of the Best in the time trial, he has improved. What is missing from the 26-year-old, is the Punch and self-confidence for a great victory. Forecast: His curve continues upwards.
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Who will win the Tour de France?5 Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida)
The Double of Giro and Tour has proved in the last few years, always too demanding. Also experienced the “shark of Messina” is to point out the hardships of the tour of Italy, which he also lost because of a tactical error, still. But with its constancy and suffering of the 34-Year-old points. Forecast: The shark a couple of teeth for a powerful bite missing.
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Who will win the Tour de France?4 Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ)
The fear of the descents is defeated, his time trial weakness, he has worked in – it is Pinot Thibaut is now finally ready for more than a good placement? Almost. The Frenchman chose a continuous structure and is focused again for the first time on the Tour. His Team is good, but others are better. Forecast: Pinot is to attack his opponents but not all of them can shake off.
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Who will win the Tour de France?3 Geraint Thomas (Ineos)
The title defenders had at the Tour de Suisse, a scary moment: After a severe fall, the dream of a second tour victory out seemed to be already dreaming. But the 33-year-old Welshman can start. His preparation of delivery is not ideal – it’s the lightness of the previous year is missing. Forecast: But to the Podium, it’s still enough.
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Who will win the Tour de France?2 Jakob Fuglsang (Astana)
For years, the Dane was in the employ of other Top riders: Jakob Fuglsang rode for the Schleck brothers, as a helper, and also in Astana, mostly in the shade. Now he is captain, and rightly so. This year, he was the most consistent of the Tour candidates, has increased on the mountain once again. Forecast: the Yellow Jersey is very close.
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Who will win the Tour de France?1 Egan Bernal (Ineos)
Viva Colombia! The Cycling-mad Nation, is looking forward to the next Star, the raptured in July, the home. And this Time it may really. Egan Bernal has exceptional performance data, and driving at Ineos in the strongest Team. At the Tour de Suisse, he was unbeatable, now he could push up the Tour of his stamp. Prediction: He leaves Colombia cheer.