French rider rips up Van Aert fan sign, Belgian responds in hilarious way: "Alaphilippe, give that sign back"!
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Follow us on GoogleCardboard signs with funny slogans have become a common sight along the roads of the Tour de France. While none may ever top the infamous “Allez Opi-Omi” sign, which caused a major crash, many are just lighthearted fun. One passionate Wout van Aert fan had made a particularly charming sign, only to have her dreams quite literally torn apart by French rider Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor). At least, it made for a memorable moment.
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During the final Pyrenees stage, riders were climbing into the clouds. It was wet, cold, and many were zipping up their jackets in preparation for the descent. Alaphilippe, however, couldn’t get hold of a wind jacket. The two-time world champion had to improvise, by tearing off part of a fan’s cardboard sign and stuffing it under his jersey for warmth.
The fan, clearly heartbroken, yelled out “Pourquoi?”: why? She had made the sign for her favorite rider, Wout van Aert. The message read: “Wout doesn’t know it yet, but we’re getting married.” A romantic gesture, ruined in a flash. Before the start of stage 15, Alaphilippe was asked about the incident. “I didn’t see what was written on the sign,” he told Eurosport. “I think it was for Wout.”
Read more below the video!
Van Aert jokes: "Alaf, give that sign back"
Wout van Aert couldn’t resist making a joke. Before the start of the stage, the Belgian handed Julian Alaphilippe a cardboard sign that read: “Alaf, give that sign back.” And so it happened, just one day after the incident, Visma | Lease a Bike stepped in. The Dutch team invited the fan to the team buses, as seen on Instagram. Alaphilippe was there too, offering a sincere apology and returning the piece of the torn sign. He posed for a photo with the fan, alongside Van Aert. All was forgiven, and in the end, the fan had an even better day than she could’ve imagined.
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Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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