For two weeks in early August, Julien Alaphilippe (Deschuninck-Quick Step) did everything he could to give Leroux a break after the Tour de France had ignited his country's hopes.

He carried the maillot jaune for 14 days and arrived in Paris in fifth place overall; after the Clasica San Sebastian in late July, Alaphilippe avoided the criterium circuit and took two weeks off the bike to rest his bones.

"I didn't change, but obviously a lot of things around me changed. Even with my cell phone turned off, everywhere I went, people were talking about it," Alaphilippe told reporters this week in Quebec City before Friday's Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec.

"That break was obligatory. I was mentally and physically saturated. It's difficult to explain. It was necessary and it was good for me. It was hard when I came back, but I was motivated to train again, and time flies. I'm already in Canada and there are only five races left until the end of the season."

Alaphilippe's year began with a victory at the Vuelta a San Juan in January, followed by one of the most remarkable spring campaigns in years, including wins at Strade Bianche, Milan-San Remo, and Flèche Wallonne.

In July, the riders of the Dečuninck-Quick-Step team wove a new tapestry in the high mountains, two stages away from winning the Tour, with a sustained effort the likes of which had never been seen before.

And now Alaphilippe has a chance to complete a remarkable triptych by winning the third and final race of the season, the World Championships. Alaphilippe is the favorite to win in Yorkshire, but wearing the rainbow jersey on September 29 is not an obligation, he insists, but rather an opportunity.

With 12 wins already this year, Alaphilippe's season has already been a success.

"Everything is a bonus from here," Alaphilippe said. 'Of course, winning motivates me and now I'm riding to win more races. We've only had big races at the end of the season, so if we win again, of course it would be a nice victory, but it wouldn't be a disaster if we don't win."

"I've had the most beautiful season of my career so far. The Tour de France exceeded my expectations.

"A season like that cannot be repeated every year. I'm well aware of that and that's why I'm motivated towards the end of the season. But I've said it before and I'll say it again. Everything from here on is a bonus."

Despite an early August break, Alaphilippe made his return at the recent Tour of Deutschland. Alaphilippe said, "It was less stressful than the Tour, but nothing compares to the Tour."

"It was also the first race in a long time where I started without ambition and without pressure. I was really relaxed. My mental state is very relaxed now with the World Championships coming up.

A year ago, Alaphilippe was among the favorites to win the Innsbruck World Championships, but his challenge was abruptly derailed on the grueling final lap. I wasn't fresh enough," he said. I have no excuses," said Alaphilippe, who had regrets about his late attack in Bergen a year earlier. "I was only a kilo short. ...... It's hard. ......"

Alaphilippe has intentionally kept his program light for this World Championships to avoid the fatigue that ended up flat in Austria last September. It was obvious that the road to Yorkshire would be via Quebec or Montreal, not the Tour de Britain or Slovakia.

"It was a great experience, but maybe not the best path to the World Championships. Making mistakes is not the problem. The important thing is not to repeat mistakes," said Alaphilippe. Both Quebec and Montreal will be among the favorites to win the championship on circuits that are in harmony with his talent as a finisher.

"I really like these races, and I like the Quebec GP better than the Montreal GP. Those are my two favorite races. A circuit race with a finish like this is perfect for me. Of course, to win here, I need to be in perfect condition. But I'm going to enjoy the race."

Alaphilippe arrived in Canada on Tuesday afternoon after taking a chartered flight from Paris with most of the participants in this weekend's races, the Quebec and Montreal GPs. On his first night in Quebec City, he developed a novel way to adjust to the time difference: playing table hockey with teammate Dries Devenyns to help him fall asleep.

"It helped with the jet lag," he laughed.

"It was me and Dries against two other players," he said.

The story of his year.