Alaphilippe adds two hours to Dwars door Vlaanderen in race for Flanders form

Julian Alaphilippe may be crossing the finish line of Dwars Door Vlaanderen 2023 but that didn't mean his day on the bike was over
Julian Alaphilippe may be crossing the finish line of Dwars Door Vlaanderen 2023 but that didn't mean his day on the bike was over (Image credit: Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

Some way short of his scintillating best, Julian Alaphilippe has resorted to extreme measures in his bid to find form for the Tour of Flanders, adding two hours onto Dwars door Vlaanderen.

The Frenchman placed 29th on Wednesday, spending just over four hours in the saddle in what was a breathless edition of the mid-week Classic, which he himself helped animate. However, that wasn't considered enough, and he went on to ride his bike for an extra two hours around the Flemish Ardennes. 

Patrick Fletcher

Patrick is a freelance sports writer and editor. He’s an NCTJ-accredited journalist with a bachelor’s degree in modern languages (French and Spanish). Patrick worked full-time at Cyclingnews for eight years between 2015 and 2023, latterly as Deputy Editor.