And that's fair. Just from a writing perspective, I think it was tightly done, if bound by executives. Not to say I don't have critiques. Clemont's frontloading is a big issue for the series, though it's partially made up for thanks to the Flare arc, and I'm known enough for my praise of Serena's arc (with light caveats like thinking it could have started about 10 episodes earlier or had more Showcases, which is, again, time constraint on the latter) and appreciating how it was handled. But this is irrelevant to the topic. I think all the little things that filter to the story make it a rewatch. Heck, a group of friends and I did a whole rewatch of it and gained a greater appreciation.
I mean, if we're using the loosest definition, sure. But Alain wanted to beat Ash, while Ash wanted to win the League. They're not rivals in the traditional sense like...almost every other rival in the series. Hence why I consider Alain differently, especially since his main goal of the series at that point (saving Chespie) has nothing to do with Ash, and he's just this guy who reignites a passion for battle.