Julien Alaphilippe (Soudal-Quick Step) revealed in an interview with Le Parisien that he raced with a fractured left fibula head in his knee joint during part of the spring block.

The former double world champion said he was injured in a crash at Strade Bianche in early March, but continued racing from Tirreno-Adriatico along with the spring classics in March: Milan-San Remo, E3 Classic, Doire de France-Deren, and Tour of Flanders.

Alaphilippe revealed that he did not talk about his injury because he did not want people to think he was making excuses for his disappointing early season.

"I didn't want people to think I was making it up, so I didn't tell them. The fall at Strade Bianche was very painful," Alaphilippe told Le Parisien.

"It was demoralizing because I used to have good legs and really enjoyed the competition. The crash was a big blow for me, and I had pain in my left knee."

"It was a very bad day for me," Alaphilippe said in Le Parisien.

Alaphilippe finished ninth in Milan-San Remo, but the pain in his knee continued. He contacted the medical staff, and X-rays revealed a fracture of the head of the fibula.

"That explains why the pain continued," Alaphilippe said, but he also noted that the pain was not unbearable at the time, but more of a bother.

According to Alaphilippe, Sourdal Quickstep and the medical team left it up to him to decide whether he would continue to compete in the Spring Classic. He competed in three one-day races, including the Tour of Flanders, where he finished 70th.

"That decision was wrong. In a tough race like that you have to be at 100% anyway. With my injury, that was impossible. I was motivated and I didn't want to pass after all the hard work I put in."

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