Alaphilippe: "For me, the yellow jersey is no longer possible"

Tour de France

Alaphilippe is now second, but will he be able to get on the podium in Paris?

The fourteenth day with the yellow jersey on the shoulders was the last for Julian Alaphilippe. The French finally succumbed to Egan Bernal's attack, just over 5 kilometers from the summit of the Iseran pbad.

Nobody imagined then that it is at the top of the latter that the time would eventually be taken, because of the neutralization of the rest of the stage.

Alaphilippe was there 2:10 after the Colombian, who had pocketed another 8 seconds of bonus. "I was expecting to lose the jersey", admitted the runner Deceuninck-Quick Step when taking a seat in the car of his team. "I gave the maximum, I gave everything, I was beaten stronger."

The world No. 1 is now second in the standings, 48 ​​seconds from Bernal, but especially under the threat of all those who follow him to the general. "I do not think for me the yellow jersey is still possible"he remarked. "It was already a dream to wear it, I wore it a long time, much longer than I imagined it, I gave it my best, but even from the moment I put it on did not change my plans, I did not dream overnight that I was going to win the Tour de France. "

As the day before in that of Galibier, the French had launched in the descent in pursuit of his rivals. He seemed to have resumed about fifteen seconds when the news of the stopping of the stage reached him in the atrium. "I do not think it would have changed much", he said. "But I gave everything, I fought to the top (from Iseran), in the descent too and, even now in the car that brings me back to the hotel, I remain combative. "

When he arrived at the hotel in Tignes-Boisses, where Patrick Lefevere's group was staying, Alaphilippe was greeted by a large crowd, who had come to thank him for the happiness he had given him for more than two weeks. "I want to thank all the people who supported me"he continued. "I was carried by the madness of the yellow jersey, I thank the fans from the bottom of my heart.I said that the result was not important, that I wanted to give everything, not to have regrets.