Torrid day of crashes for Julian Alaphilippe at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

Julian Alaphilippe’s Classics campaign kicked off to unfortunate results on Saturday, as the Soudal Quick-Step rider suffered a series of crashes and problems before eventually abandoning Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in the final 30km.

Alaphilippe is taking a different approach to his season in 2024, racing a full cobbled Classics program and aiming at the Giro d’Italia rather than the Tour de France.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad was meant to be the start of that campaign after the 31-year-old showed some promising signs in the Tour Down Under, but his first race of the Spring was marred by crashes and misfortune, and he ultimately did not finish the race.

Read more: Patrick Lefevere looks to diffuse ‘tense atmosphere’ as he rows back on Julian Alaphilippe criticism

After missing out on the key split in the race, Alaphilippe first crashed with 64km and was noticeably banged up and muddied as he tried to push on in the chasing group. His efforts in the chase group were again hampered when he had to change his bike and fight back into the group once again.

Though it looked like his chances of winning were already gone, Alaphilippe at least had a chance of finishing in the main group in Ninove. However, that hope was also soon dashed, as the Frenchman was involved in a crash with teammate Kasper Asgreen with 23km to go.

Alaphilippe looked to come off worst in the incident, hitting the ground hard and clutching his hand as he got up, in pain but also clearly frustrated about the luck handed to him in Belgium.

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

He was eventually among the 43 non-finishers in the first race of Opening Weekend, with the Frenchman pulling out after their crash.

Outside of Alaphilippe’s bad luck, the race also marked a disappointing start to Soudal Quick-Step’s Classics campaign, as they look to return to the top of the races they once dominated.

New signing Gianni Moscon was in the front group for a time, but dropped out of the lead before the action kicked off in earnest. With Asgreen also crashing, their first finisher was Yves Lampaert, who finished in the main group but outside of the top 10 in 21st.

Read more: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad: Jan Tratnik takes first big Classics victory

Alaphilippe was set to race Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne on Sunday, but it is not yet clear whether he will take to the start in Kuurne after his crashes on Saturday. He will then race a busy Spring campaign, including Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-San Remo in the next few weeks.