Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-QuickStep) has revealed that he competed for part of the spring block of racing with a fracture in his left fibula head located at the knee joint, according to an interview with Le Parisien.
The former double World Champion said that the injury happened in a crash at Strade Bianche in early March, but he continued to race through Tirreno-Adriatico, along with the Spring Classics in March: Milan-San Remo, E3 Classics, Dwars door Vlaanderen, and the Tour of Flanders.
Alaphilippe revealed that he didn't speak about his injury because he did not want people to think he was making excuses for what he considered a disappointing early season.
“I didn't want to say it because I didn't want people to think I was making something up. I suffered a lot from that fall in Strade Bianche," Alaphilippe told Le Parisien.
"My morale was damaged because I had good legs before and because it is a competition that I really enjoy. This fall was a big blow to me, and I had pain in my left knee.”
Although Alaphilippe finished ninth at Milan-San Remo, the pain in his knee continued. He connected with medical staff, and an X-ray revealed the fractured fibula head.
"That explains why the pain continued," Alaphilippe said, though he also noted that the pain was not unbearable at that time and more of an annoyance.
Alaphilippe said Soudal-QuickStep and the medical team left it up to him to decide whether he wanted to continue competing in the Spring Classics. He went on to race in three more one-day races, including the Tour of Flanders, where he finished 70th.
"It was the wrong decision to do that. In those tough races, you have to be 100 percent anyway. With my injury, that was impossible," he said. "I was motivated, and I didn't want to pass after all my efforts, but I should have taken care of myself."
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