Noticiero El Big Picture del Deporte: Cycling Weekly, Julian Alaphilippe on the brink of a first French winner of the Tour de France since 1985

Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) has so far declined to confirm whether or not he intends to target the yellow jersey in 2020, but we have a sneaky suspicion that the yellow jersey is already in his sights. It is in his interest to play down expectations so that he can again enter the race as an underdog. But we might just be on the brink of a first French winner of the Tour de France since 1985.

• The Frenchman was able to become a yellow jersey contender in 2019 partly because nobody expected him to put in such a defence of it. For that matter neither did he – he attacked exuberantly in the first few weeks of the race without expecting to have a GC race to fight, and surprised himself by the strength of his legs in the time trial and the mountains, before fatigue at last caught up with him during the final week.

If he makes the yellow jersey his primary target, and plans a training routine around it, could he ride even better this time?

References: 

Cycling Weekly, Seven bold predictions for the 2020 racing season, Stephen Puddicombe, January 1, 2020.