“We are not a retirement home”: Cofidis confirms interest in Julian Alaphilippe, but not to make a statement

The French teams in the WorldTour peloton are eyeing Julian Alaphilippe. TotalEnergies is angling for the services of the Frenchman, but Cofidis also has an eye on the two-time world champion. Although Alaphilippe will have to earn a place in the latter team… “I don’t know at the moment whether Julian is capable of doing that.”

In an interview with GCN (Global Cycling Network), Cofidis team manager Cédric Vasseur confirms the interest in Julian Alaphilippe. The French formation has been underperforming so far and is flirting with relegation from the WorldTour circuit. If Cofidis does not start scoring urgently, it could lose its WorldTour license after 2025. That is why the team is looking for targeted reinforcements to collect as many UCI points as possible over the next year and a half. That is why Alaphilippe’s profile appeals to them: a Frenchman who has already earned his stripes in the past.

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The only question remains what Alaphilippe can still achieve today. The now 31-year-old driver, who is in his last months at Soudal Quick-Step, has not been his old self for quite some time. That is why Vasseur still doubts whether it is a good idea to bring him in later. “As a team manager, I would really like to work with Julian, but we haven’t really spoken seriously yet,” said the team manager at GCN.

No retirement home

If a deal does come to fruition, Vasseur already has clear expectations for Alaphilippe. “We don’t want to bring in Alaphilippe just for the name. We want to bring him to Cofidis for what he can give to the team.” Although Vasseur does not hide the fact that he has doubts about this at the moment: “He is having a hard time at the moment and so we will wait and see. We are a cycling team, not a retirement home. We cannot afford mistakes.”

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A possible switch to Cofidis is certainly not going to happen for Alaphilippe. “If Julian comes to us, he will have to perform. So that as a team we can move towards 2,500 UCI points,” he said. “I don’t know at the moment whether Julian is capable of doing that. I don’t want to bring him in because I value and respect him. I am looking for riders who can perform well so that we can secure our place in the WorldTour.”