He appeared stressed this Sunday during the French Championships in Cholet, as if he feared this bad news.
It should finally be confirmed on Monday: according to the Belgian media Het Nieuwsblad, Julian Alaphilippe, double world champion, will not be at the start of the Tour de France, which starts this Friday from Copenhagen in Denmark.
The doctors of his Quick Step Alpha-Vinyl team considered him insufficiently recovered from his heavy fall, two months ago in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, to withstand the shock of the biggest race in the world.
Quick Step must officially announce the composition of its team for the Tour de France this Monday.
18 times wearer of the yellow jersey
The world champion, however, made a convincing return to competition this Sunday during the French Championships.
He finished 13th and contributed to the coronation of his teammate Florian Sénéchal.
But that was apparently not enough for the three daunting weeks ahead of July 1 to 24, with difficulties from the first week, between the Danish wind and the cobblestones of the North.
"I still don't know if I'll be at the Tour or not," whispered Alaphilippe on arrival in Cholet.
After his race, it was hard to believe him.
But the public of the Tour will however be well and truly deprived of one of its greatest idols, 18 times wearer of the yellow jersey and winner of six stages.
