A conference call with Julien Alaphilippe was arranged to discuss Milan-San Remo with the defending champion, but Dečuninck-Quick Step was in the wake of the horrific crash that Fabio Jacobsen caused at the Tour de Pollogne, For the past 24 hours, of course, he had other things on his mind.

Jacobsen, the Dutch champion, is said to be in stable condition, although he remains in a coma after undergoing 5.5 hours of facial surgery overnight. Alaphilippe and his teammates are hoping for more encouraging reports in the hours and days ahead.

"When I saw the crash, it really affected me," Alaphilippe said. 'We were all in the same situation. You have to stay calm in this situation, but I want to know he's okay. It was a really emotional moment. Now we are still waiting for good news."

"It's a terrible crash, and when it's your friend, it's heartbreaking. Certainly, Fabio is fighting so much right now and we have to keep fighting for him.

Alaphilippe spoke cautiously about the crash caused by Dylan Groenewegen's deviation in the sprint. However, the impact was apparently exacerbated by the layout of Katowice's downhill finish straight, which was criticized by the professional athletes' union, Cyclist Professional Associates (CPA).

"There are some circumstances I can't talk about because I wasn't there," Alaphilippe said.

"There are many things that can be changed. A lot of people need to be involved in this discussion. It's not the first time it's happened, but unfortunately it's really bad. I won't say too much, but it's not just the finish line, but also the behavior of the riders. That mentality has to change. Also, there is a lot of work to be done for the organizers and CPAs."

While Jacobsen remained in the intensive care unit in Sosnowiec, the rest of Poland's Dečuninck-Quick Step team rode the second stage of the Tour de Pollogne on Thursday. In Italy, Alaphilippe and his five teammates are busy preparing for this weekend's Milan-San Remo while in Poland.

Alaphilippe was asked if it was possible to maintain the concentration needed for La Classissima under such circumstances.

"I must," he replied simply.

Alaphilippe returned to competition on Saturday at Strade Bianche, wearing the number 1 dossard as defending champion. He suffered a puncture in the afternoon and arrived in Siena in 24th place.

"I don't need to look for excuses," he said. 'In the end, it was a really hard day and I'm proud to have finished the race.'

In March 2019, Alaphilippe's victories in Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo followed a sustained and successful early season race block; with the calendar hastily changed due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the two Italian races were the first races in over 4.5 months and were the first public steps toward the Tour de France. Alaphilippe was not surprised by his performance in Tuscany last Saturday.

"I am in very good shape. My form is following the logic of my preparation," Alaphilippe said. In the first race I felt good but not at my best. In Strade Bianche, I think I had a good feeling, even if I was unlucky. The team is built around Sam Bennett and personally I think I can be an important part of the team in the final, seeing how I feel. 0]

With temperatures in the 30s, only six riders in formation, and the route mostly changed except for the traditional finale over the Cipressa and Poggio, this novel summer land change in Milan-San Remo is not just Alaphilippe's own circumstances.

Alaphilippe has not scouted the new climbs of Niera Belbo and Colle di Nava, but he does not expect any major changes in the character of the race. The reduction in team numbers means a longer front shift for key rider Tim DeClercq, but Alaphilippe downplayed the impact of temperatures. He acknowledged the threat of Strade Bianche winner Wout Van Aert, but said, "Certainly, he will be able to win Milan-San Remo," keeping in mind that, as in the past, many attackers and sprinters will be in La Classissima in search of victory.

The Frenchman suggested that Dečuninck-Quickstep's own strategy is to use Irish champion Sam Bennett in the sprint on the Via Roma, but even so, Alaphilippe was ostensibly co lined up as leaders. Plans in Poggio are often reworked on the fly.

"It's a different approach [than last year]," Alaphilippe insisted. 'It's not the same mentality, it's not the same physical condition. Like I said, the team is built around the sprint with Sam Bennett, but we are a strong team and during the race we will take on different responsibilities and adapt to any scenario that may unfold, whether it is a sprint or an attack. Whether it's a sprint or an attack, we will adapt to any scenario that may unfold.

Detunink-Quickstep Milan-San Remo: Julien Alaphilippe (France), Sam Bennett (Ireland), Tim De Klerk (Belgium), Kasper Asgreen (Denmark), Bob Jungels (Lux), Zdenek Stibal ( Czech Republic).