Should Julien Alaphilippe swallow his pride and retire?

davidof · March 6

Out of form following the signing of a big contract following double world championship wins due in part to a series of crashes French rider Julien Alaphilippe has been severely criticised by his boss Patrick Lefévère for living a party lifestyle with his glamourous wife, Marion Rousse.

Victim of several falls at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad this spring, the 31-year-old puncher found himself on the ground again on the Strade Bianche last Saturday.

Philippe Gilbert has commented on Alaphilippe's travails: “It's a fine mess lately for Julian? Yes, there were all these falls, and it's not ideal. When you fall, it's never easy, but he kept falling. I thought I saw that he even fell three times at Het Nieuwsblad, plus once at Strade Bianche a week later. The body has a memory, it records blows and shocks, it fights to heal, and it is energy that we no longer have to improve physically,” said the former teammate of “Alaf” in comments reported by Le 10 Sport.

Gilbert thinks Ala needs to see a sports psychologist

“There is also a loss of confidence. When we fall regularly, we ask ourselves the question. Is it me who is no longer able to ride as fast, to be as precise at this level? Apprehension sets in and this is where a sports psychologist must intervene. In this case, we need external help to dispel this apprehension”

Alaphilippe was more confident at the start of the second stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico

"I'm okay. Still some pain, of course, after the fall at Strade Bianche which was a little more violent than the one on Omloop but I think I recovered as needed. I managed to do a time yesterday (Monday) and I feel that every day it's getting better so I'm expecting a lot from this week where I really hope to come back as expected. (…) Morale is still there, I know that the legs are good so it is in these moments where you have to be even harder and as I say this week it will be fine."

It is something you see in older pros. Lance Armstrong's last tour was marred by silly crashes. At 31 Ala should still have a few years left in him but really needs to show what he can still do now. Other teams say they will pick him up if Lefévère drops him at the end of the season... but surely not on a 2.5 million annual salary?