Julien Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-QuickStep) got off to a bit of a false start this season after abandoning the Vuelta a San Juan in Argentina last month after just two stages, his stomach upset and lack of food depriving him of fitness.

However, the 27-year-old Frenchman will return to the saddle this week in the Tour Colombia 2.1 as he looks to return to a 2019 season that saw him win 12 races, including two stages of Strade Bianche, Milan-San Remo, Flèche Wallonne, and the Tour de France. Alaphilippe also wore the yellow jersey of the French Grand Tour for 13 days, sending his countrymen into a frenzy.

Alaphilippe won two stage victories in Argentina and another in Colombia during the 2019 season. He hopes to replicate that early-season form.

"I want to see my team win a stage," he said. "There are a lot of possibilities to win this week with [sprinter] Alvaro [Hodeg], Bob [Jungels] and me on the more difficult stages. I'm motivated and in good shape."

Last year, Alaphilippe was in the breakaway on stage 5 to La Union with overall contenders Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana), Richard Calapaz (then Movistar), Daniel Martinez (EF Pro Cycling), and Ivan Sosa (Team Ineos). Alaphilippe took the stage win and the race lead on the day, but surrendered his spot to Lopez on the final day's climb to Alto de Palmas. Expect similar antics from this precocious rider again this year.

"For me, Colombia is always a good preparation for the start of the season. The races are always hard and the level of the riders is high. It's a good way to start the season before heading back to Europe."

"I want to keep attacking in good shape and try to win a stage. It's always hard here in Colombia."

This year's race will be tough in all conditions, as it does not drop below 2,590 meters in elevation, but the climb prepared for 2020 is not as difficult as last year's. Alaphilippe's teammate Bob Jungels, who won a stage in Medellín in 2019, said at a press conference that this year's route mentioned.

"This year the road might be a little easier on paper than last year," the Luxembourg champion said. 'But I don't think anything is really easy here with the altitude. I hope we can be as successful as we were last year."

"When we came here last year, we combined a race with a training camp. The main reason we came back is that Colombia is a great country." And like I said, the start of the season has been ideal since then. From the organizing to the hotels, to all the race courses, it's an ideal place to prepare again and we are very happy to be here."

Alaphilippe agreed with his teammates' assessment of the country where the race will take place over the next six days, adding.

"The atmosphere in Colombia, the people, everything is great. If I could, I would start the season here every year."