Julian Alaphilippe

The circuit racing of road cycling world championships delivers unique — and sometimes surprising — race dynamics.

The 28-year-old Alaphilippe has often been a favorite in the race for the rainbow jersey, but until this past weekend, he always came up short.

Classics season opens at the Flèche on Wednesday, with Tadej Pogačar, Michał Kwiatkowski and Marc Hirschi among those set to do battle on the Mur.

Tour de France runner-up laments not having legs in finale to help trade teammate chase down Alaphilippe.

'I don't think I've seen as many men crying as today,' said Deceuninck-Quick-Step boss Patrick Lefevere after greeting Alaphilippe in Imola.

Belgian star disappointed but 'without regret' after being bettered in worlds time trial and then road race by unstoppable opposition.

French team pulls out perfectly-delivered tactic to take first world title since 1997 and heal wounds after a disappointing Tour de France.

Frenchman goes solo with 12km to go, holding off a stellar chase group to take his nation's first rainbow jersey since 1997.

Frenchman considers himself outside favorite at head of injury-stricken team for Sunday's race in Imola.

Wout van Aert, Julian Alaphilippe, Michael Woods, Marc Hirschi and Jakob Fuglsang are among the top favorites to take the rainbow bands in Imola.

French hopes for a Tour de France victory were dissolved on Friday as the country's best riders both faltered.

Primož Roglič continues his hold on the yellow jersey as the battle for the green jersey continues

Former race-leaders return to original stage-hunting plans with final week in the Alps in the eyeline.

Tires have risen to the top of the tech stories during week one of the Tour. What goes into making a good tire? And what's up with the clincher's comeback?

Can one of France's current riders ever win the Tour de France? And how has the racing shutdown impacted tactics at the 2020 Tour de France? Let's roundtable!

With Pinot and Alaphilippe out of contention, nation's yellow jersey hopes rest on pair of dark horses.

How did GC favorites like Adam Yates, Egan Bernal, Primož Roglič, and others fare during Saturday's Pyrénéan test of the Tour de France? We break down the good and bad news for the key players.

Does Mitchelton-Scott have the team to defend the GC lead? Is Ineos back on the front foot? And what is Alaphilippe up to? Let's get some takes!

Bling at the Tour is nothing new, but the price tags this year have us reeling. Does fancy bling belong in the Tour de France?

Our sixth Active Pass roundtable focuses on the Tour de France race jury's controversial decision on Wednesday to penalize Julian Alaphilippe for taking an illegal feed.

Team staffers resigned to loss and vow that 'The Wolfpack' will bite back.

We chew over the controversial decision that robbed Julian Alaphillipe of the GC lead and discuss just how awesome Wout van Aert is.

The UCI rulebook is thick with fine print, yet one of the longest-running rules is limits on taking feeds.

Julian Alaphilippe was given a 20-second penalty for reportedly taking an illegal feed during Wednesday's stage. The decision bumps him out of yellow.

James Startt scouts the best spot to shoot the maillot jaune on the historic Tour de France climb to Orcières Merlette.

Watch Jumbo-Visma and Team Ineos Grenadiers light up the final kilometers of the first mountaintop finish of the 2020 Tour de France.

We dive into the power numbers from Neilson Powless, Robert Gesink, Sepp Kuss, and Tadej Pogačar from stage 2 of this year’s Tour de France.

The climbs come hot, heavy, and early in this year's Tour de France, and Tuesday sees the first summit finish at the category 1 Orcières-Merlette, in the southern Alps.

A win on clinchers and a soap-slicked course have dictated the early storylines when it comes to Tour de France gear.

Catch up on all the highlights of stage 3 of the 2020 Tour de France.

Julian Alaphilippe retains the leader's yellow jersey after the 198-kilometer stage from Sisteron in the Haute Provence region.

Our third Active Pass roundtable features reader questions about tire choice. And, which French rider is best suited to win the 2020 Tour de France? We want your questions, so please submit them at the bottom of the story.

From getting around gendarmes to hitching up a telephone pole, James Startt got the shot – though it wasn't as he planned it.

Specialized pushes the envelope, and on Saturday the bike brand nabbed a Tour de France stage win with the Turbo Cotton clincher tires.

Are we to believe Julian Alaphilippe, who says he is chasing stage wins and not overall victory at the 2020 Tour de France? We analyze Alaphilippe's potential as a GC racer this year.

Is there a symbolic significance to the Frenchman's victory? Did the early mountains have an impact? And what is Jumbo-Visma up to?

Belgian won bunch sprint for fourth in all-in bet for yellow jersey and stage win that went bust.

Frenchman sparked the selection on final climb of the stage to take race's second yellow jersey, dedicating the win to his father.

Deceuninck-Quick-Step star sees Sunday's mountainous stage around Nice as opportunity to snatch stage win.

We rank the top 10 contenders to win the 2020 Tour de France overall.

No GC plans for Alaphilippe; Bennett returns to Tour after three-year absence.

This week we analyze the Tour de France contenders, and break down the action from the Critérium du Dauphiné.

Longest race of the year and minimal race days leaves a number of contenders without the final race-winning watts.

Insiders agree that summer heat, new route and smaller teams will add up to alter outcome of season's first monument.

Van der Poel, van Aert, Alaphilippe headline bumper start list for an 'even harder' Milano-Sanremo on Saturday.

Return to WorldTour racing saw many contenders lose out due to heat or mechanicals.

Frenchman starting season off the boil with plan to peak for the Tour de France.

The Deceuninck–Quick-Step pro will start racing again in Italy before heading home for Le Dauphiné, the French championships, and the Tour.

French star yet to confirm full 2020 race schedule, but a first-ever Flanders is a certainty.

Frenchman would rather see the Tour postponed to later in the year than have it raced without fans.

French star admits that a Tour 'behind closed doors' is better than no Tour, but 'prefers not to imagine' the prospect.

The pandemic is on the minds of nearly everyone here, but strangely, once the race actually started, Paris-Nice seemed like just about any other bike race.

They call Paris-Nice the "race to the sun." On Sunday, the peloton saw no sun, and battled through clouds, rain, and wind. Photographer James Startt was there to capture the action.

Belgian team send all-star lineup to Paris-Nice as rival outfits pull out amid coronavirus fears, Lefevere pledges confidence in safety of race.

Affectionately called “The Race to the Sun,” the week-long stage race makes it way down through the heart of France to the Mediterranean Sea, noted for its abundance of sunshine.

The Faun Ardèche Classic and the Royal Bernard Drôme Classic offer muscular terrain that suits puncheurs and climbers alike.

EF Pro Cycling retains overall advantage, with the lead moving from Jonathan Caicedo to Higuita.

The Deceuninck-Quick Step star remains motivated to try for another successful year.

WorldTour all-stars offer that elevation—which will be no less than 8,500 feet during every stage—to be the greatest challenge for this early season stage race.

Evenepoel caught up in late-race crash but escapes time-losses after jury verdict.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast, Andrew Hood checks in from Deceuninck-Quick Step's camp on his way to the Tour Down Under. Plus, we welcome new VeloNews Senior Editor Betsy Welch.

The French star will have plenty to keep him busy in an Olympic year, but trying to win the Tour de France isn't on radar.

For more than two decades, Belgian team boss Patrick Lefevere keeps delivering big wins — for 2020, he starts anew with 11 fresh faces

First major European stage race of the calendar draws host of talent including Pogacar, Pinot, and Quintana.

Tour de France stars to start season at high-altitude 2.1 category stage race, Quintana to miss race on home territory.

Deceuninck-Quick-Step boss Patrick Lefevere feels Alaphilippe should target other races before Flanders or the Tour - but isn't going to hold him back either.

On this episode of The VeloNews Podcast, Andrew Hood and Fred Dreier examine the 2019 VeloNews Awards, as well as the Stories of the Decade.

Bernal ranked second, van Vleuten fifth in the international ranking handed down by an international jury.

A 2020 Tour de France short on time trials and packed with surprises leaves French GC hopefuls motivated to raise their nation's hopes.

2020 sees an atypical Tour route packed with opportunities and risks for the GC riders - and here are five stages that could prove crucial.

While Ineos' stars remain tight-lipped about their 2020 race schedules, Alaphilippe confirms he will be at the Tour, but not racing for the overall.

Our grand-parents would not recognize the unconventional and surprising Tour route revealed Tuesday in Paris

Frenchman pulls out of scheduled starts at Milano-Torino and Il Lombardia as he draws a long season to a close.

Yorkshire delivered on its promise of a demanding race, but Sunday's test pushed the world's best to their collective limit.

Julian Alaphilippe revived French dreams with his thrilling Tour ride, but this writer hopes "Loulou" stays just the way he is.

Several top riders are heading to Spain for the Clásica San Sebastián, but recent Tour winner Egan Bernal might be heading home.