Julian Alaphilippe returns to Criterium du Dauphine as leader of Deceuninck-Quick-Step
Aug 09 2020 10:30 pm CET
Photo of Julian Alaphilippe © Deceuninck-Quick-Step Cycling Team / Getty Images
Deceuninck-Quick-Step will start in the Criterium du Dauphine with a strong team led by Julian Alaphilippe.
The 2020 edition of the race will have only five stages -it usually has between seven and eight- and won't include a time trial. As always, the French competition will serve as preparation for the upcoming Tour de France and will feature a lot of climbing to prepare the legs for the French grand tour.
Just days after finishing as the runner-up in Milano-Sanremo, Alaphilippe will return to the Criterium du Dauphine, one year after he showed an aggressive style of racing that led to him to win a stage and take the polka-dot jersey. He will have the support of a strong roster that will include the debut of neo-pro Mauri Vansevenant.
"Dauphiné will be a very hard race, maybe one of the toughest of this season: five stages, five uphill finishes, and with four of these stages being quite short, it means it will be full gas from the start," said Deceuninck-Quick-Step sports director Tom Steels.
"The weekend will be particularly hard, with each of the two days packing some 4000 meters of vertical meters, which could lead to some big gaps in the standings. We have a strong team, and we hope for a stage win, but also for the riders to come out of the race with a good condition and feeling."
Deceuninck-Quick-Step's roster for the Criterium du Dauphine (August 12-16):
Julian Alaphilippe
Kasper Asgreen
Rémi Cavagna
Tim Declercq
Bob Jungels
James Knox
Mauri Vansevenant
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