Julian Alaphilippe: ‘Van der Poel, Van Aert and Pogacar on a different level right now’

Julian Alaphilippe at the start of the 2023 E3 Saxo Classic
Julian Alaphilippe at the start of the 2023 E3 Saxo Classic (Image credit: Getty)

Julian Alaphilippe has delivered a defiant message to his critics and to those who have written off Soudal-QuickStep’s chances against Mathieu van de Poel, Wout van Aert and Tadej Pogačar.

The former double world champion, like his team, has endured an unusually difficult first segment of the Classics, a speciality they have previously dominated. 

Alasdair Fotheringham

Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for Cyclingnews, he has also written for The IndependentThe GuardianProCycling, The Express and Reuters.