Julian Alaphilippe raced Spring Classics campaign with fracture, fearing criticism

After a tumultuous few months, Julian Alaphilippe has revealed that he suffered a fractured fibular head in his Strade Bianche crash in March, but continued to race throughout the Spring Classics for fear of the criticism that might have come his way had he revealed the truth.

After crashing, he went on to race Tirreno-Adriatico, Milan-San Remo, E3 Saxo Classic, Dwars door Vlaanderen and the Tour of Flanders.

"I didn't mention it because I didn't want people to think I was faking it," he told Le Parisien. "I had a lot of trouble after that crash. I was motivated, but I should have listened to my body."

"I suffered a lot from my fall in Strade Bianche. Moreover, 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.”

Medical examinations later revealed that Alaphilippe had suffered a fracture in his fibular head, the top of the bone of the lower leg, just below the knee but not in the joint itself. Affecting a non-weight-bearing bone, the injury is less serious than a fracture to the knee itself, and explains why Alaphilippe was still able to walk and ride.

Before the diagnosis, the Frenchman had ridden the seven-day Tirreno-Adriatico stage race and Milan-San Remo. In the latter, the 31-year-old produced a battling display to ride to ninth place within the leading group.

Read more: Julian Alaphilippe takes ninth in Milan-San Remo despite sprinting with a puncture

Once his condition had been diagnosed, Alaphilippe had a choice to make for the Flemish Classics.

"This explained why the pain wouldn't go away. It was very annoying, but not something unbearable. That's why the doctors told me before the Flemish Classics that the choice whether to race or not was up to me.”

Feeling the weight of expectation on his shoulders – "I didn't want people to think I was making excuses or faking it" – Alaphilippe took to the start of the E3 Saxo Classic, Dwars door Vlaanderen and the Tour of Flanders, three races in which he failed to make an impact.

When pressed on his decision, the Frenchman admitted that he made the wrong call, but explained his rationale.

"Because I was super motivated and found it difficult – after all the work I had put in – not to start. I should have told myself, 'shit, take time to recover, get over it and don't fight the pain.' But this mistake has already been made. I can't go back and have to accept it.”

“I should have taken a break after the Italian races and then gone for the Ardennes classics,” he acknowledged.

The admission from the two-time former world champion will draw a big spotlight on the culture at his Soudal Quick-Step outfit, with team boss Patrick Lefevere hitting the headlines in recent months for his public and incendiary reproval of Alaphilippe.

Attacking the Frenchman's results, character and relationship with Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift race director Marion Rousse, Lefevere chastised him for not delivering the performances expected of him in recent seasons.

Read more:

• Patrick Lefevere hits out at Julian Alaphilippe: Too many parties, too much alcohol
• Patrick Lefevere looks to diffuse ‘tense atmosphere’ as he rows back on Julian Alaphilippe criticism

In light of this, Alaphilippe's admission to Le Parisien is perhaps revealing about the culture and pressure surrounding the 31-year-old.

The three-time winner of La Flèche Wallonne and former runner-up at Liège-Bastogne-Liège will now forego the Ardennes Classics, where Soudal Quick-Step will be fielding an inexperienced and unfancied team in Remco Evenepoel's absence, but still plans to ride the Giro d'Italia in May.

The Giro will mark Alaphilippe's debut in the Italian Grand Tour and had been looked at as a fresh start, though in light of this injury, it remains to be seen just how competitive the Frenchman will be.

Owing to his relationship with Soudal Quick-Step, expiring contract and his comments on possible retirement at the Santos Tour Down Under, questions mark continue to swirl around the future of the former world champion.

Read more: Julian Alaphilippe calls into question his Soudal Quick-Step future and possible retirement

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