Liège (Belgium) (AFP)
Forgot the missed appointments?
Julian Alaphilippe shows up in Liège-Bastogne-Liège in clothes of light, with an iridescent jersey to show off and the hope of finally embracing the Doyenne.
Above the competition in Imola a week ago, the new world champion, who has taken the "time to digest the emotions and the effort", is still hungry.
"I will see how I will have recovered. But in any case, I think I am in a great shape", announces the French who has a story to conclude with Liège.
A monument cut out for him, where he shone (2nd in 2015, 4th in 2018) without being able to win yet.
- Favorite N. 1 -
"Clearly, the strong man is Julian," said without hesitation his compatriot Benoît Cosnefroy, second in the Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday, questioned by AFP.
"With the world champion's jersey, it will be the big favorite", confirms the Swiss Marc Hirschi, victorious in Huy.
"But after a world title, recovery is not always optimal," observes the bronze medalist in Imola.
A superstition in the peloton also lends a curse on the rainbow jersey.
"There is a legend but it's something I don't think about at all", sweeps Alaphilippe who put all the chances on his side by skipping the Flèche Wallonne, of which he was double title holder .
Others imitated the world champion by also giving up on the first Ardennes classic in the middle of the week to breathe - or because the race did not suit them.
This is the case of the German Maximilian Schachmann, 9th at the Mondial in Imola and on the podium in Liège in 2019, who will be one of the favorites.
But also the great defeated of the Tour de France, Primoz Roglic (2nd), not far from the goal in the world championship (6th) and who will discover the Ardennes monument.
Like the Slovenian, the competition will be more intense than usual in Liège.
The proximity to the Tour in this calendar condensed by the Covid-19, has smoothed the level between general classification and classic hunters.
Without going back to Bernard Hinault or even Eddy Merckx, big tour riders have already won in the Dean (Andy Schleck, Alexandre Vinokourov ...) but this one, usually contested at the end of April, is generally not the priority. of their season.
The pandemic, by shifting "LBL" two weeks after the conclusion of the Tour de France, has redistributed the cards.
- 5 star casting -
"It is a race which also suits the general classification riders of the Tour like Richie (Porte), (Tadej) Pogacar, (Primoz) Roglic too, confirms to AFP Marc Hirschi. Liège is a better race than the Flèche for them".
Ninth in Huy, the last yellow jersey in Paris, Tadej Pogacar, was already ranked 18th in the Dean in 2019. “It's a race that suits me a little better,” the Slovenian already projected on Wednesday.
To this five-star line-up, compiling world champion, winner of the Tour, world No. 1 (Primoz Roglic) and Olympic champion (Greg Van Avermaet) was added the surprise guest Mathieu van der Poel.
Sparkling in the Binckbank Tour where he overturned the general classification and won the stage on Saturday, "MVDP" signed up at the last minute for Liège-Bastogne-Liège, which he will play for the first time.
It remains to be seen whether there will be any juice left for the Dutch champion, who left alone 50 kilometers from the finish, to thwart Alaphilippe's plans the next day in Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
"One day, I hope, I will manage to win," said Friday in the form of a prayer the Frenchman about the Doyenne, one of the races he "dreams of winning".
On Thursday, when the new bearer of the iridescent jersey joined his team's hotel to prepare for the Dean, a rainbow overhung the city of Liège.
A happy omen? ...
© 2020 AFP