As the 2024 cycling season draws to a close, Julien Alaphilippe's time at Sourdal-Quick Step is coming to an end.

Last month, it was announced that Alaphilippe would sign a three-year contract with Fabian Cancellara's Tudor Pro Cycling team. But for two-time world champion Alaphilippe, it is a chance to “get a new environment and see new things” at just the right time in his illustrious career.

Alaphilippe is currently in Canada for the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec and Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal, and is racing to make the French road world championship team for Zurich.

“It's hard to say any one thing. Because the most important memories are those of the friends I have always had with me.

“Of course there were ups and downs, but I always enjoyed it and loved my time with the team. But in the end, it was also nice to have so many memories

“For me and for them, it's life, it's one circle.

For Arafi, a two-time world champion in Quick-Step blue, winning Milan-San Remo, Strade Bianche, La Flèche Wallonne (three times), the Giro d'Italia, and of course the Tour de France, was a symbolic decade It was.

Alaphilippe became an icon of the Tour de France, winning six stages over the years and nearly winning in 2019 with his daredevil tactics.

Alaphilippe may bring his talents to the Tudor black and red team in 2025, but the leading candidate to sign him was not always a Swiss team, and French team TotalEnergies, in the twilight of their career, was the maverick Frenchman French team TotalEnergies lobbied to bring the maverick French rider to their home team in the twilight of his career. Alaphilippe eventually joined the fast-growing Swiss team.

“Calling Jean-Rene Bernadeau and Benoit Genozeau from TotalEnergies was not an easy task.

“So when I made the decision, I knew the disappointment from them and it was not easy for me. But in the end, you have to think about yourself. It was my decision, and when I knew I couldn't stay, I had to contact the other teams.

Bernodeau believes his decision will give the Swiss team a wild card for the Tour de France.

“My only regret is the length of the negotiations. It really took a long time. Of course I understand the refusal, but I would have liked to receive it sooner,” Bernaudeau told Le Parisien.

“There is a difference between knowing in June and knowing at the beginning of August. There were many players who had turned it down because they wanted Julien. Alaphilippe won the Giro d'Italia in May in an impressive solo victory, but the ever-motivated Frenchman is looking forward to another howl from the “Wolfpack”.

“I am focused on every race until the last race in Lombardy. I know that every race is coming to an end.”

“I still have races to go and at the moment I am not thinking about next year. My goal is to win something again, that's for sure. My chances are getting slim right now, so that's my goal until the end and I'm going to do everything I can to make that happen.”

Alaphilippe has had a tumultuous two years, marked by crashes and injuries, but this season he has stage wins at the Tour de Slovakia and the Czech Tour and trusts his process to get back into contention for race wins. His new adventure in Tudor may not bring the same excitement as the past seven years, but Julien Alaphilippe is not done lighting up races at cycling's elite level.

“I don't know what my best shape is, but I will come back in good shape, I will enjoy the race, and I will fight for victory in the final,” Alaphilippe said.

“If I had a reason, I would tell you. 'I don't know the reason. So we just have to do everything we can and fight the bad moments.'