Julian Alaphilippe
Julian Alaphilippe is a French professional road cyclist known for his versatility and explosive racing style. He is is celebrated for his ability to excel in different types of terrain, and charismatic personality, making him a fan favorite in the cycling world.
Rhythm is key to understanding France’s multiple World Champion cyclist Julian Alaphilippe. Father « Jo » was a conductor and drummer. As a young boy Julian performed at Montluçon’s festival of music, his hometown. Still pounding on the drums in his early teenage years, he was even contemplating a musical career. “I could never concentrate in a classroom, I was always too hyperactive.”
The energy would soon however be channeled into his leg muscles. Julian started cycling at 13 and showed exceptional ability. His feel for percussion orchestrated early success in high-energy competitions like cyclo-cross, negotiating all kinds of obstacles in the shortest of times, elbow to elbow with competitors. Julian pushed himself to the edge, and father Jo was never far behind, following him in the car at night so that he could train in the glow of the headlights.
His specialty was taking up the “Superman” position on bikes, flying flat out round the circuit. Things started to take off in the Tour de Bretagne in 2013 when he became a firm favorite of the home crowd. Success and ebullient charisma have earned him the crown of “France’s best sportsman”. Winning the yellow jersey in the Tour de France on Bastille Day in 2019 certainly helped …
Alaphilippe won the UCI Road World Championships in 2020 and 2021, making him the first Frenchman to win the title since Laurent Brochard in 1997 and the first to win back-to-back titles since Paolo Bettini. He has also fantastically performed in one-day races, winning prestigious monuments such as Milan-San Remo in 2019 and La Flèche Wallonne multiple times (2018, 2019, 2021).
Julian remains analytical about his career and what brings success. In 2021 (“my rainbow year”) he wrote a book covering his journey from doubt to triumph, analyzing methods for overcoming failure. The work also emphasizes the importance of family. The raw emotion on Julian’s face moved the whole of France when he won a Tour de France stage days after the death of his father. The fact he decided not to go to the Tokyo Olympics and leave the Tour de Suisse early so as not to miss the birth of son Nino is further proof of how important family is.
“I remain concentrated on the aims I have chosen for myself. The fire comes from cycling being a pleasure, something I love. It’s also true to say, however, that I need a certain lack of certainty. It’s what drives me on.”