Alaphilippe: Having the objective of being the best is important for me

Julian Alaphilippe has packed more than most into the past twelve months but despite the tribulations of last spring and summer, the Quick-Step Floors rider returns to Paris-Nice this weekend in a position to pick up precisely where he left off this time last season.

Barry Ryan
Head of Features

Barry Ryan was Head of Features at Cyclingnews. He has covered professional cycling since 2010, reporting from the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and events from Argentina to Japan. His writing has appeared in The Independent, Procycling and Cycling Plus. He is the author of The Ascent: Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and the Rise of Irish Cycling’s Golden Generation, published by Gill Books.