"I feel good, really motivated, super happy to start my season", underlined the double world champion 2020 and 2021, Tuesday, on the eve of his return to the Mallorca Challenge.

Q: After a complicated year, what are your objectives for 2023?

A: "Above all, I want to find pleasure again, go for victories and not spend my time chasing after form. When you start the season with the Covid, when you feel pretty good and you're a new once arrested because of bullshit bronchitis. Then you break your face... Last year, it had become an infernal circle, much swollen by the media and certain declarations. I took the full face. Now I'm going to do everything to set the record straight."

Q: Do you feel extra pressure?

A: "Not at all. It's even one of the first seasons that I approach so liberated and relaxed. This winter, I really disconnected from the world of cycling. I spent time with my little family to I don't know if it's because I don't have the rainbow jersey anymore or because I had a good winter, but I don't feel any pressure, I'm just super motivated.

Q: Despite repeated criticism from your manager Patrick Lefevere?

A: "Our relationship has been the same from the start. We have always been transparent with each other. When things were going well, when things were not going well. The statements he may have made will not have an impact on nothing about my way of working or my motivation."

Julian Alaphilippe with the world champion jersey during the 5th stage of the Tour of Spain 2022, August 24, 2022 in Irun © ANDER GILLENEA / AFP/Archives

Q: No longer wearing the rainbow jersey frees you from a burden?

A: "It will allow me to regain a little of the freedom I had before. I needed it. The world champion jersey was my dream to go get it. I managed to do it twice in a row. But when you live a somewhat complicated season, it becomes hard to live with, whereas if you're just a lambda runner in quotes, nobody cares."

Q: Will your way of running change after your repeated falls?

A: "No, not particularly. The first times I got back on the bike after my fall in Liège, it was a really weird feeling. I was afraid of falling. But, afterwards, it actually comes back. And fortunately . Today I am like before."

Q: How do you see your cohabitation with Remco Evenepoel, which has taken on another dimension?

A: "It's a good situation for the team but also for Remco and me to be co-leaders, even if he took the number 1 spot in certain races. Starting last year from Liège (Liège -Bastogne-Liège, editor's note) being leader with Remco was great. We had a plan with two cards. Well, I ended up in a tree. And he won. But I was super happy for him. For me it's not a problem, on the contrary. Internally it's going very well. There's no war or jealousy."

Q: With Evenepoel engaged in the Giro, are you going to aim for the overall in the Tour de France?

Julian Alaphilippe during the World Road Cycling Championships, September 25, 2022 in Wollongong, Australia © William WEST / AFP / Archives

A: "I don't think so. In any case, we won't have a team at the start to compete for the general classification. It was never my ambition or an objective. But, of course, it will be a very important to me after missing the last edition."

Q: The announcement of Thibaut Pinot's retirement makes you think, at 30, about the continuation of your own career?

A: "No, we're all different. Everyone has their own state of mind, motivation or fed up. Thibaut, it's not the first time we've heard that he was a little fed up "I wasn't really surprised when I learned that it was his last season. He's a great guy and an endearing rider. French cycling will miss him."

Comments collected by press videoconference

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