Don’t ignore the French with team "soul" Alaphilippe ahead of Sunday: "There’s a certain mentality"

Alaphilippe pulled off a spectacular stunt in Québec by attacking far from the finish and ultimately sprinting solo to victory. It was his first WorldTour victory since stage twelve of last year's Giro d'Italia, but more importantly, it was his first victory in Tudor colors. Understandably, he was more than happy with that.

“It's a victory that really comes at the right time,” Alaphilippe said Thursday in a press conference with Cyclingnews, among others. “It also confirms that the shape came back well, and that's a good sign. And it was an important victory for me because it was my first year in my new team and these are races that are difficult to win.”

You'd think it was great preparation for the World Championships, but nothing could be further from the truth. “I got sick again after Québec, which is why I dropped out of Montreal. The days that followed weren't easy; I struggled to recover, especially with the jet lag” Loulou recalls, looking back on what turned out to be tough days in Canada after all.

“There were days when I couldn't do anything, but I worked hard in the end,” Alapahilippe continued. "I called Thomas [Voeckler, French national team coach] to let him know and keep him informed of the situation. In the middle of last week, I called Thomas to tell him: if things don't improve in a day or two, we should consider changing the plan. I took my time, and things got better."

However, things improved fairly quickly. “It was a bit tense until the weekend. I was happy to come here, and things are getting better and better. So, I'm very happy and motivated,” the two-time world champion explained to l'Équipe.

At the same press conference, national coach Voeckler had words of praise for his team leader. "Julian Alaphilippe is the soul of this team. His second half of the season is off to a great start, and physically he completely deserves his place, not [just because] the last two weeks, but since this winter. I felt that it was perhaps the right time."

In addition to Alaphilippe, the French are also counting on Louis Barré, Julien Bernard, Jordan Jegat, Valentin Madouas, Valentin Paret-Peintre, Paul Seixas, and Pavel Sivakov in Sunday's road race. “There is a state of mind that has been established and that is present in the French team,” the national coach says about his selection.

This has mainly to do with the mix of young and old. “There are a few veterans who are guarantees. The young people who are arriving have generally gone through the youth categories, so they know this spirit. But for it to happen naturally, there is no instruction manual.”

Seixas is making his debut among the elite, as the 19-year-old already did the time trial on Sunday and also started in the Mixed Relay on Wednesday. The top talent expects a tough race. “There are simply the numbers and they don't lie. Numbers don't lie,” he emphasized once again, referring to the 267.5-kilometer course with 5,400 meters of elevation gain.

"I've been adapting for a while now and I feel like, frankly, it's getting better and better as the days go by," Seixas said, referring to the conditions in Rwanda, which are clearly different from those on the European continent. "The heat is OK, but the humidity reinforces the feeling of heat, and that's it."

For the youngster, the World Championships among the elite will be a new experience in any case. “Let's say the longest distance I've done this year. So, I think Thomas [Voeckler] will soon explain our roles to us, and I'm happy to be able to be here and to be part of the team. And then we'll see how the distance goes. But in any case, it's going to be very tough.”