Alaphilippe’s descending skills key in second stage win
BAGNERESDELUCHON, France: Julian Alaphilippe’s descending skills made the difference as the Frenchman claimed his second victory in this year’s Tour de France to take the 16th stage yesterday.
The QuickStep Floors rider, who also prevailed in the 10th stage in Le Grand Bornand, whizzed past Adam Yates 6km from the line after the Briton had hit the asphalt in a lefthand curve in the final descent.
Spain’s Gorka Izagirre took second place and Yates finished third, 15sec behind.
The stage was briefly interrupted with 187km to go by a farmers’ protest, police using tear gas to disperse the demonstrators with some riders being affected.
Among them were world champion Peter Sagan and Briton Geraint Thomas, who retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey after an otherwise comfortable 218km mountain ride from Carcassonne.
Thomas still led fellow Team Sky rider and defending champion Chris Froome by 1min 39sec and Dutchman Tom Dumoulin by 1min 50sec going into this morning’s 17th stage, a brutal 65km, upanddown trek from BagneresdeLuchon to SaintLarySoulan.
Downhills were tricky yesterday and former world champion Philippe Gilbert went spectacularly over a low stone wall in the descent from the Col du Portet d’Aspet.
The Belgian got back on his bike after disappearing in the ravine for a couple of minutes.
‘‘It’s pure happiness after a day of suffering,’’ Alaphilippe, who tightened his grip on the polkadot jersey for the mountains classification, said.
Alaphilippe fought hard to get his place in the day’s large breakaway and he produced his effort at the right moment to be the second rider to reach the top of the Col du Portillon, 20sec behind Yates.
He was gaining time in the descent when Yates went down.
‘‘I knew the last kilometres of the stage. I’m sad for Yates who crashed but it could have happened to me.
‘‘I took a lot of risks. It’s bike racing,’’ the Frenchman said.
A breakaway of 47 riders took shape after the race was briefly interrupted by the protest.
‘‘Please respect the riders, even if you have a cause to fight for,’’ Tour director Christian Prudhomme said.
The stage resumed after a 15minute interruption and Alaphilippe stayed quiet in the breakaway group until the last climb to the Col du Portillon.
Sagan virtually secured a recordequalling sixth green jersey for the points classification, which he will officially wrap up if he reaches Paris.
He leads Norwegian Alexander Kristoff by 282 points with 270 still up for grabs. — Reuters