Alaphilippe to lead France at UCI Road World Championships

France will head to the UCI Road World Championships with Julian Alaphilippe as the rider it expects to see wearing the rainbow stripes at the end of the 284.5km course in Harrogate.

Julian Alaphilippe. Source: Getty

Supporting Alaphilippe in Yorkshire on 29 September will be Deceuninck-Quick Step team-mates Rémi Cavagna and Florian Sénéchal alongside Tony Gallopin (AG2R-La Mondiale), Christophe Laporte (Cofidis), Julien Bernard (Trek-Segafredo) and Anthony Roux (Groupama-FDJ).

The last rider will be revealed after the Canadian round of WorldTour races in Montreal and Quebec.

SBS Viceland and SBS OnDemand will broadcast and live stream the men's and women's road races with other selected events live streamed only.

"When Julian announced that he had recovered from the Tour and that he gave me the green light to select him, that he was motivated, I finalized my selection with him and his coach," said team manager Thomas Voeckler. "I wanted a group capable of working 100 per cent for him."

After a standout 2019 which includes victories at Milan-San Remo, Strade Bianche, Fleche-Wallonne and 14 days in yellow at the Tour de France, Alaphilippe will be one of the big favourites on a course which will suit his punchy, aggressive style of racing.

"We are aiming for the title with Julian, but that does not mean that he will have all the weight of the French team on his shoulders," Voeckler said. "However, our only real chance to be crowned World Champion is with him, and I don't think the other riders will mind me saying that."

Selected for the men's time trial is Benjamin Thomas (Groupama-FDJ) and Pierre Latour (AG2R La Mondiale).

For the women's race, the 2018 French champion Aude Biannic and Audrey Cordon-Ragot are among the six selected with the latter doing double duty in the time trial.

France for the UCI Road World Championships 2019.

Men's road race: Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick Step), Julien Bernard (Trek-Segafredo), Tony Gallopin (AG2R-La Mondiale), Christophe Laporte (Cofidis), Rémi Cavagna (Deceuninck- Quick Step), Anthony Roux (Groupama-FDJ) and Florian Sénéchal (Deceuninck-Quick Step).

Men's Time Trial: Benjamin Thomas (Groupama-FDJ), Pierre Latour (AG2R-La Mondiale).

Women's road race: Séverine Éraud (Dolticini Van Eyck Sports), Aude Biannic (Movistar), Juliette Labous (Sunweb), Audrey Cordon-Ragot (Trek Segafredo), Eugénie Duval, Evita Muzic (FDJ-New Aquitaine-Futuroscope)

Women's time trial: Juliette Labous (Sunweb) and Audrey Cordon-Ragot (Trek Segaferdo).

Mixed Relay: Coralie Demay (FDJ-Nouvelle Aquitaine-Futuroscope), Aude Biannic (Movistar), Séverine Éraud (Dolticini Van Eyck Sports); Jérôme Cousin (Total Direct Energy), Bruno Armirail and Romain Seigle (Groupama-FDJ)