In the viewfinder of Patrick Lefévère, his boss within the Soudal-Quick Step team, Julian Alaphilippe spoke to our colleagues at RMC and from France Info, Friday, to explain the way in which he had experienced the violent criticism of the Fleming against his partner, the former cyclist Marion Rousse. As a reminder, Lefévère had suggested that the consultant, in a relationship with Alaphilippe, had a bad influence on her runner. “Julian is under the control of Marion Rousse,” he declared with the greatest sensitivity (FALSE).
Accustomed to the character and his legendary banter, Alaphilippe made it clear that, if his boss’s words could have hurt Marion Rousse, as far as he was concerned, Lefévère’s escapades passed over him. “I really managed to detach myself from it as much as possible, as I often do. After that it pissed me off more for Marion who didn’t ask for anything and who doesn’t like being in the stories at all, he explained. She did not appreciate being involved in comments like that which were useless and which did not make sense (…) But for me, no, I detached myself from it. I don’t care, actually. » The force of habit, we would say.
Relaunched on the subject, the double road world champion said he was “tired of it”. “So I don’t care. The only thing I can do is do my job well and I do it very well, to the best of my ability, at least for many years and from the moment I feel that way, I stay that way. I don’t care,” he concluded.
“It seems like I only talk about Julian”
Which Lefévère also spoke on Saturday among our colleagues from The Team, Saturday, without returning to this particular affair. “I would just like it to be understood that I too am shocked at not being able to say what I think. And not just about Julian. Perhaps one day, I will really open my mouth, and for good this time,” he said, enigmatic. Without wanting to dwell on his remarks against Alaphilippe and Rousse, explaining that he takes “just the freedom to say what I think”, the Fleming prefers to return to the other error he made and which, according to him, justifies the harsh words to against his runners, of which he is more and more accustomed.
“Yes, and I made mistakes!” But the biggest one is getting excited about a rider, wanting to sign him or upgrading a contract after a victory that impressed me. My euphoria can play bad tricks on me sometimes and I blame myself afterwards. This not only applies to Alaphilippe but to others too. You have the impression that I’m only talking about Julian but that’s not true, my criticisms apply to many other runners (…). So when it doesn’t work, I blame myself for having signed such contracts. And I say it because it’s my mistake. »