French starl Julian Alaphilippe has spoken publicly for the first time since his retirement, saying that he was losing enjoyment in cycling and is happy to be out of the limelight.
Since retirement, the Frenchman has laid relatively low, but was the guest of honour at a French Cycling Federation (FFC) event on Thursday evening and spoke about his decision to end his career as he addressed the audience in a speech.
Speaking with emotion in his voice, according to L'Équipe, Alaphilippe said he was "even happier with his decision" after watching a montage of his best moments and thanking the FFC for a "touching" tribute.
"I always wanted to stop at the right time, not to do one year too many," he said. "I was getting less and less enjoyment from modern cycling.
"I still felt useful to my team, but I felt it was time to turn the page. I am very happy to have accomplished everything I have done over the years."
'Now I need a bit of shade'
His accomplishments include two world titles, six Tour de France stage victories including a long stint in the yellow jersey in 2019, and victories at Milan-San Remo, Strade Bianche and La Flèche Wallonne. He has also represented France at the Olympic Games.
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He spent the last two years of his career with Tudor Pro Cycling, and though his career was beginning to wind down, he took his last win as recently as the GP de Québec in 2025, and rode his eighth Tour de France this summer.
He ended his career widely considered as one of the best French cyclists of the last two decades, but it was stepping away from that celebration and adoration that was part of his motivation to retire.
"I've had enough of the limelight during my career and now I need a bit of shade," Alaphilippe said.
“Cycling was my outlet, but I’m happy to have stopped. I have a lot of gratitude. I was lucky enough to spend a decade and a half cycling, where I enjoyed myself, where it was my outlet, and where I gave emotions to my family, to people, to kids, to myself. I pushed myself to the limit to achieve the goals I set for myself."
He also gave special thanks to two important figures in his life, fellow pro and now French national coach Thomas Voeckler, as well as his cousin and long-term coach Franck Alaphilippe.
Despite briefly returning to the spotlight on Thursday evening, there is still no indication of what Alaphilippe may do next, and if he has a future in cycling, in 2027 or beyond.
Outside of cycling, he has a five-year-old son with his partner Marion Rousse, former pro and the director of the Tour de France Femmes.
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Matilda is an NCTJ-qualified journalist based in the UK who joined Cyclingnews in March 2025. Prior to that, she worked as the Racing News Editor at GCN, and extensively as a freelancer contributing to Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Velo, Rouleur, Escape Collective, Red Bull and more. She has reported on the ground at all of the biggest events on the calendar, including the men's and women's Tours de France, the Giro d'Italia, the Vuelta a Espana, the Spring Classics and the World Championships. She has particular experience and expertise in women's cycling, and women's sport in general. She is a graduate of modern languages and sports journalism.
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