Julian Alaphilippe to skip French Road Nationals to focus on preparation for Tour de France

Alaphilippe has not shown his traditional attacking panache this year, his early season peppered with DNFs. He struggled with illness, forced to abandon Itzulia Basque Country, and then missed Liège-Bastogne-Liège after not finishing in the earlier Ardennes Classics.

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His Tudor team gave him some time to prioritise his health before spending three weeks training at altitude in Sierra Nevada in Spain.

The 34-year-old Frenchman then returned to racing at the GP Gippingen, where he finished fifth, before taking the start of the Tour de Suisse. There Alaphilippe did make his way into the breakaway on stage 2, but was not able to join the battle for victory.

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Tudor directeur sportif Sylvain Blanquefort told DirectVelo that he feels that Alaphilippe is getting better and better but still has work to do.