“Sorry, sorry.
"A few seconds after arrival, carried into the bus area, two hundred meters after the line, Julian Alaphilippe, still isolated from the cameras and the trainers, twice dropped this message of apology in his earpiece for his team.
Yes, the world champion is sorry and it has been going on for two years on the Quai des Ardennes, in Liège.
Liège-Bastogne-Liège, this cycling monument that he dreams of offering himself and which has just been cruelly refused to him for its 107th edition.
And it was already the same during the 106th.
The Frenchman had however run perfectly so far.
A bit tight to try to make the difference during the last ascent of La Roche-aux-Faucons, Alaphilippe had bet on a sprint between breakaways.
And there, at his peak of speed, he believed for a long time to win and offer France, 41 years after Bernard Hinault, a successor to the Doyenne des Classiques.
Better, Alaphilippe also saw himself integrating a quintet of cadors: Ferdi Kubler, Rick Van Looy, Eddy Merckx and Moreno Argentin.
The only ones to have won in Liège with the rainbow jersey.
But in a second, everything fell apart.
To read also Laurent Jalabert: "Julian Alaphilippe gives the impression of being more sure of himself"
Because it is ultimately Tadej Pogacar, the Slovenian winner of the last Tour de France, who overtook him by a few centimeters.
In Liège, between victory and Alaphilippe, there is always a Slovenian to spoil the party.
Last year, already wearing the Arc-en-Ciel tunic since the Classic had been moved to the fall, Alaphilippe had seen himself too handsome in the photo, bulging his chest and releasing his effort to cross the line without seeing that another Slovenian, Primoz Roglic, had taken the opportunity to get ahead of him.
A few minutes later, he was almost relieved to learn that his gesture had not cost him the victory since, for having hampered the Swiss Marcel Hirschi during the sprint, he had finally been downgraded to fifth place.
"Pogacar was stronger"
And to learn that with the 3rd place of David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), it is the first time since 1998 (with Emmanuel Magnien and Frédéric Moncassin), that two French people climbed on the podium, did not really console him ...
But as he knows how to do, Alaphilippe, quickly put on the mask of positivism so as not to let his real feelings be seen. "I'm happy," he sighs. The day was difficult and the end was eventful. Tadej Pogacar managed his sprint perfectly. I have no regrets and I remain satisfied with my week (
Editor's note: Wednesday April 21,
he won the Flèche Wallonne
for the third time
). And above all, I'm very happy to have a little break this week. The team was motivated to support me. The idea was that I save myself for the final, which allowed me to follow the best in La Roche-aux-Faucons. I did everything so that nobody isolated themselves and that we arrived at the sprint. "
Just before stepping on the pedals, Alaphilippe had made a promise. “I started the sprint well without making any mistakes this time,” he admits. I have to think back to last year's sprint. I didn't do the same stupid thing, at least I'm happy for it. Everything was fine, but Pogacar was stronger. He was perfect. With the suction and the power, he was able to gain more speed than the guys who started the sprint in front. I suspected he would give it a go and that's what happened. I know that without being a real sprinter, I have a good burst of speed. Being on the podium of a monument is great. But I dream of something else here: I will come back to win. "
