The entertainer

Dashing, daring and driven, Julian Alaphilippe has the air of a swashbuckling musketeer about him. His chiselled looks and debonair Gallic goatee certainly play a part in that, but Alaphilippe’s heroic spirit is most evident when he is on the bike. Just look at the flamboyant attacks – an elegant blend of thrusts, feints, lunges and counter-attacks – that helped him to retain his rainbow jersey at the 2021 World Championships Road Race in Flanders. Alaphilippe rides with courage but also with a dash of fun and showmanship, which begs the question: is winning races enough for him, or is this a man who needs to win in style?

‘Yes, I don’t always think about winning in style but it is better when you do and I’m happy that I have,’ reflects Alaphilippe, 29, while relaxing in a hotel in Calpe during a training camp with his team QuickStep Alpha Vinyl.

‘How I ride my bike is kind of like who I am. I do everything with my heart and I have won a lot that way’

‘How I ride my bike is kind of like who I am. I do everything with my heart and I have won a lot that way. For sure, I don’t