The double French world champion Julian Alaphilippe, positive for Covid-19 during the Tour de Wallonie at the end of July, said he felt "still a little tired" before lining up on Sunday in the Tour de Louvain in Belgium.
"I'm not going there to think about a performance, but to have fun and see how I feel after the Covid," explained Alaphilippe on Friday during a press conference.
He had tested positive at the start of the third stage of the Tour de Wallonie, Monday July 25.
“I was really flat (…) It's been almost a week since I resumed with still a little fatigue,” he added.
After the Tour de Louvain, the Quick-step rider must participate from August 9 to 11 in that of Ain, which he already won in 2014 (the first victory of his professional career).
The September Worlds in the viewfinder
“The goal is to regain good health (…) to work well for the Vuelta” which starts on August 19 and in which he hopes to be “actor”.
"This year, I have the impression that I don't have much of the wind at my back", he quipped, after having notably missed the Tour de France this summer.
Despite recent "not incredible" training, "Alaf" still has the Worlds in Australia (September 18 to 25) in its sights.
"It's something that is part of my end-of-season goals," he said, without "thinking about the treble", after two coronations in 2020 and 2021.
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Cycling
Julian Alaphilippe
Covid-19
Vuelta
Sport