Two-time UCI World Road Champion Julian Alaphilippe has revealed he has been racing through injury since falling at the Strade Bianche in early March, which prohibited him from crossing the finish line.
Alaphilippe said he has raced through the spring season with a fracture in his left fibula head, caused by the fall in Italy. The 31-year-old since competed in the Tirreno-Adriatico, the Spring Classics in March, Milan-San Remo, E3 Classics, Dwars door Vlaanderen, and the Tour of Flanders.
Alaphilippe said he did not want to speak up about his injury issues, in worry it will be seen to excuse what he considered to be a poor start to the season. But the Frenchman said “I should have taken care of myself.”
“My morale was damaged because I had good legs before and because it is a competition that I really enjoy. This fall was a big blow to me, and I had pain in my left knee.”
While Alaphilippe said the pain was more an annoyance than truly hampering during the Milan-San Remo, in which he finished ninth. But an X-ray after the race revealed the extent of the issue.
Alaphilippe added the Soudal-Quickstep medical team allowed him to decide whether or not to take part in the Spring classics. He went on to take part in three one-day races, culminating in a 70th-placed finish in the Tour of Flanders.
The former World Champion admitted it was “the wrong decision” to race through the pain.
“In those tough races, you have to be 100 percent anyway,” he said. “With my injury, that was impossible.
“I was motivated, and I didn’t want to pass after all my efforts, but I should have taken care of myself.”