“As if I didn’t want to lose this jersey” … Julian Alaphilippe and the rainbow paradox

Julian Alaphilippe’s victory at the 2021 Worlds is so beautiful that it deserves to be talked about again every day for a week, at least. So let’s not deprive ourselves and take advantage of the euphoria of the moment, as the French rider did so well during the memorable binge that followed his coronation in Flanders. Even if he does not quite yet realize what is happening, two days after his sick benefit.

It is that deep down, and as he confides in an interview with The team, the French leader was moved by a strange paradox: the haste to get rid of a jersey that was much too heavy and the pride of its owner. “I wanted to be released from the jersey and I went looking for it, in the most beautiful way,” said Alaph. It’s really weird, because when you look at how I ran, how I hurt myself, it’s like, in fact, I didn’t want to lose this jersey. “

“You can’t be bad with this jersey”

Indeed, the self-sacrifice of the Deceuninck runner tells the story of an attachment that he himself had perhaps not understood. We can’t resist a handful of madmen chasing you and pointing at 10-12 seconds for miles, nor the gradual invasion of lactic acid for 15 miles other than for love.

“It’s a jersey that is obvious, you can’t be bad with it, you always want better. And to do, sometimes too much. Here again Julian left for a year of toxic relationship with this blessed burden or poisoned gift. To do better in the rainbow, we will have to pedal with the same “hunger” and motivation in 2022. But it is still too early to think about it. It is still time for praise.