Julian Alaphilippe (Sourdal-Quickstep) did not resist the fact that the last two seasons were not what he wanted in his interview with the media before taking on the Tour Down Under.

"I feel good and relaxed," Alaphilippe said, exchanging words with Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers), who was sitting right next to him. I had an easy winter, no problems. I didn't train hard and I'm not in bad shape."

"I feel ready for the race and I hope to get better over the next month. It's important for the race in Belgium, but first of all I'm focused here and I think it's a great race to start the season."

The last time a French rider lined up in the Tour Down Under was in 2014, just at the start of his professional career. Once again, he will be at the start line at an important juncture in his career. His current contract runs through 2024, and he has won just two races in the past two seasons.

The two-time world champion has changed the way he competes early in the season, hoping his team can continue the winning start brought by the AG Insurance Soudal women's team, which won two out of three stages in the Women's Tour Down Under and the overall, take on the heat of the Australian summer.

"We have a really good team that enjoys racing and trying to win something, even if the pressure is off now that the girls have won the race," he said with a laugh.

But does that make him one of the favorites to win the six-stage race in Australia?

"I have no idea," Alaphilippe said. 'I'm motivated to do my best. I don't know how I will feel in the first race of the season. You have to be careful with the heat. I think it's an important year for me to come back at my best level and I'm going to give it my best. I'm not stressed, I just want to have fun."

The Tour Down Under gets underway on Tuesday with a three-lap sprinters' stage that starts and finishes in Tanunda. Stages 3 and 4 will be a day for sprinters. The race then heads into a weekend of summit finishes, with Willunga Hill on Saturday and Mount Lofty on Sunday.