Julian Alaphilippe has signed a three-year contract with Tudor Pro Cycling from 2025, following his widely expected departure from Soudal-Quickstep after 12 seasons with the team.
The announcement, made on Monday morning, confirms Cyclingnews’ reporting that a deal was close to signing earlier in August and has followed a slew of impressive signings for the Swiss team, including Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates).
Alaphilippe’s departure from Soudal-Quickstep followed a turbulent year of relations between the French two-time world champion and team manager Patrick Lefevere. However, Lefevere had been vocal that his intention was to extend Alaphilippe’s contract as rival teams circled.
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Tudor Pro Cycling, owned by Classics legend and Cyclingnews columnist Fabian Cancellara since 2022, entered the UCI Continental Tour in 2019 before jumping to UCI ProTeam level in 2023.
Alaphilippe’s signing, alongside Hirschi, marks a significant step forward for the team which positions Tudor among the serious contenders for WorldTour promotion. The Frenchman’s place on the team will also likely secure a wildcard invite to the Tour de France in 2025.
For Alaphilippe, the move will be a significant one, as the six-time Tour de France stage winner has only ever ridden professionally with the various iterations of Soudal-Quickstep’s team.
With Remco Evenepoel riding on Soudal-Quickstep, though, Alaphilippe would have been unlikely to receive the majority of the team’s attention in 2025, whereas at Tudor he will be the clear team leader and tactical focus across the Classics season and Grand Tours.
Of course, the deterioration of relations between Lefevere and Alapilippe has undoubtedly played a part, with the Belgian team manager publicly criticising both Alaphilippe and his wife Marion Rousse.
The decision remained a testing one for Alaphilippe, with the Frenchman reportedly suffering sleepless nights before telling his manager of his intention to leave the team.
Offers from other teams were no doubt critical in the decision, with Tudor’s courtship with Alaphilippe stretching back to the Giro, but TotalEnergies are also rumoured to have made a substantial offer to bring Alaphilippe onto the team amid one of the most anticipated cycling transfers for the 2025 season.
“After more than ten years with the same team, it was time for a change,” Alaphilippe said in a statement. “I liked the Tudor Pro Cycling project from the beginning. I saw the team arrive and develop, and I also know a few of the riders and staff members. What better way to mark a turning point in my career than with a new and ambitious project?”
Team owner Fabian Cancellara added, “He still has the fire needed to perform at the highest level and he will bring stability and experience to the team. He is a smart rider but also a good guy, with a good sense of humour, professionalism and a daring attitude.”
While Alaphillipe will no doubt be a mentor to the team’s wider squad, his goals as a rider seem set on the Tour de France and the Classics in 2025.
“I dream of returning to the roads of the Tour de France with the team one day, but important races like the Classics come first,” he said.
“It's a big change but getting back on the winning path with the team will be a great satisfaction and I hope it is the beginning of great things.”
