Jean-René Bernaudeau, the manager of the French cycling team TotalEnergies, has been contemplating the idea of Julian Alaphilippe joining the team for quite some time. His interest in the double world champion was once again displayed in an interview with L’Équipe during the Tour du Rwanda. Bernaudeau strongly believes that Alaphilippe’s addition to the team could be a significant game-changer.
Bernaudeau made his intentions clear during the interview, “Julian would be a perfect fit for our team. We see him as our potential Peter Sagan, particularly considering the surge of young, talented cyclists joining our ranks,” the TotalEnergies manager stated. He further emphasized on the leadership qualities of Julian, and how he could be a great mentor to the younger generation. He also expressed his belief that Alaphilippe would appreciate the familial atmosphere of the team.
This proposition from Bernaudeau comes at a good time for Julian Alaphilippe, whose contract with Soudal-Quick Step draws to a close at the end of this season. His sports director at Soudal-Quick Step, Patrick Lefevere, recently criticized Alaphilippe’s professionalism, although he later apologized for his remarks at a press conference before Het Nieuwsblad.
As the year approaches its end, Julian Alaphilippe will be free to explore new opportunities. The offer from TotalEnergies could be particularly enticing to him, especially considering that Peter Sagan, a triple world champion, had previously joined this team. Although Sagan didn’t achieve numerous victories as a part of the French team, he did manage to clinch a Slovakian championship title and a stage of the Tour de Suisse. Currently, Sagan is retired from the world peloton and is focusing on the upcoming Olympic Games in mountain biking.
