Julien Arafillippe's agent is demanding contract talks with Soudal-Quickstep, according to team boss Patrick Lefevere, after last month's Giro d'Italia performance "changed the situation in the market" for the Frenchman.

The future of the two-time world champion has been the subject of much speculation over the past few months, with Alaphilippe joining Cofidis and other rumors spreading that he could choose to retire at the end of the season. Now the 31-year-old seems to want to explore the possibility of staying with his current team.

The Giro d'Italia was seen by Sudar Quickstep riders in their best form over the years. He was a regular in the race and won the 12th stage in 12 months.

"His agent Dries Smets is again asking for a new conversation," Lefevere said in his regular Het Nieuwsblad column. 

"I don't know if it's out of politeness or out of a genuine interest in staying, Giro has of course also changed Julian's market situation I especially hope I can sit with him face-to-face again, without an agent and without a negotiating agenda on my side," 69 said. The year-old Belgian dated

Lefevere and Alaphilippe have had a difficult relationship in recent months after comments from lefevere aimed at Alaphilippe's wife, Marion Rousse. 

At the time, Ruth rejected Lefebvre's baseless criticism and urged him to "show a little more class."Lefevere then received a suspended fine from the uci Ethics Committee for comments deemed "defamatory to women." The team manager publicly apologized for being able to avoid the fine but must avoid repeating the infringement for three years or face a similar penalty

Lefevere claims in his latest column that he wants to sit one-on-one with Alaphilippe to solve their personal problems.

"[Lefevere wants] to clear the air personally and professionally. Julian has been on our team since he was 17. I'm not going to call him a son, but it doesn't make a big difference. What has happened. I said what I said. But I want to make sure none of it sticks," Lefevere said.

In his column, Lefevere also wrote in the press this week that potential leaks within the Soudal-Quick-Step team that led to rumors of interest in Giro d'Italia stage winner Valentin Paret-Peintre

According to a report by Het Laatste Nieuws, the 23-year-old has already signed a contract with the team. His decathlon AG2R La Mondiale contract is set to expire at the end of the season

"I have not even informed the team leader yet and the transfer of Paret-Peintre has already been published in the newspaper," he said.  Actually nothing has been signed yet, but I'm not happy with such leaks to the press. It is in the Belgian newspaper, so I suspect the source is in our team. And I would have expected more discretion."

Lefevere continues, ruing the general occurrence of riders he is interested in winning big results, and thus increase their market value. Last month, Palais Paintre won Stage 10 of the Giro d'Italia over Boca Della Selva.

"It's almost unbelievable, but every rider we approach starts to spontaneously win the race," Lefevere said. "In this case, ride the Giro. To understand that the asking price will soon increase, you must be half the businessman.”