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.

Business: Velo News, French stars like what they see in 2020 Tour de France route

French stars across the peloton applauded the unconventional route short on time trials and packed for of surprises.

Absent this year are the prologue, team time trial or even a longer, flatter individual time trial. The route’s lone test against the clock is a climbing route ending high in the Vosges on the Planche des Belles Filles. Perhaps not coincidentally, the penultimate stage is just down the road from the home of Thibaut Pinot.

Thibaut Pinot, Groupama-FDJ

• “At first glance, it’s an ideal Tour route for me.” 
• “I can dream of doing even better than last year. I am more motivated than ever to prepare for the race better than I ever have before.”
• “If I had been able to draw the time trial out myself on a map, this would have been it.” “The cherry on the cake is the time trial in the Vosges. I know the roads like the back of my hand. I hope to be playing a big role in the decisive moment of the Tour.”
• “The big mountains are hard and selective, but even the medium-mountain stages are challenging. There will be a lot of room to attack.” 
• “I hope to be at an even a better level than I was this year. This route excites me and motivates me.”

Julian Alaphilippe, Deceuninck-Quick-Step

• “Suddenly I was the leader and everyone started dreaming, even me, I’d be pedaling away thinking more and more about it,” Alaphilippe said. “2020 will be different, but honestly I just can’t wait.”

Romain Bardet, Ag2r-La Mondiale

• “Once again the Tour de France has created a very beautiful route.”
• “The number of stages in the mountains will offer us the chance to put on a good show, and I imagine that many riders will want to take part in it.”

Warren Barguil, Arkéa-Samsic

• “The course requires everyone to be on their toes right from the start,” said Warren Barguil (Arkéa-Samsic), who won two stages and the climber’s jersey in 2017. “The Tour is going to be demanding every day. There will be plenty of room to move.”

References:

Velo News, French stars like what they see in 2020 Tour de France route, Andrew Hood, October 16, 2019.