Julian Alaphilippe, winner of the green and white jerseys at Paris-Nice this season, will not ride the Ardennes Classics, due to a knee injury he sustained last week at Vuelta al Pais Vasco.
The 24-year-old Frenchman Frenchman, who podiumed at his Milano-San Remo debut three weeks ago, will undergo further examinations in the upcoming days, under the guidance of Quick Step Floors’ medical staff, to determine the nature of his injury and the period he will be sidelined.
“It’s a very difficult moment for me. In the past days I didn’t train, hoping the pain will go away, but this didn’t happen,” said Alaphilippe, a runner-up in the past at both Flèche Wallonne (2015, 2016) and Liège–Bastogne–Liège (2015).
“I am sad to miss the Ardennes Classics, which I’m very fond of, but there really is nothing I can do about it. Despite this, I remain upbeat and hope to return as soon as possible to action. At the same time, I want to wish all the best to my teammates who will ride the Ardennes over the next weeks.”
