Julian Alaphilippe ends career at 34 after decline

Julian Alaphilippe has abruptly ended his cycling career at 34, one year before his contract with Tudor was due to expire. The decision closes a period in which the former double world champion no longer felt he was performing at the expected level or enjoying competition.

His decline was visible during the 2026 Tour de France, where he passed largely unnoticed. Patrick Lefevere, the former Quick-Step manager who played a major role in Alaphilippe’s rise, said the rider’s late attack on Montmartre captured his recent struggles: an effort that was poorly judged, lacked its former force and was quickly neutralised. Alaphilippe later crossed the finish alongside Warren Barguil.

The Frenchman’s final years at Tudor, like his last seasons with Quick-Step, were shaped by the burden of his earlier achievements. His record includes Milan-San Remo, three victories at La Flèche Wallonne and two world titles, but Lefevere said he had increasingly been competing against his own reputation and the expectations attached to it.

Lefevere first encountered Alaphilippe when the rider was 17 and racing cyclo-cross with the French army team. After a race in Bredene, he offered him a contract with Quick-Step. That team became the foundation of a career that delivered his biggest successes before its difficult closing chapter.