Alaphilippe beats Thomas in time trial

PAU, France – France’s Julian Alaphilippe continued to amaze as he claimed an impressive victory in the 13th stage of the Tour de France, a 27.2-km individual time trial, to extend his overall lead on Friday.

The Deceuninck-Quick Step rider clocked 35 minutes over the lumpy course to beat defending champion Geraint Thomas by 14 seconds and Belgian Thomas De Gendt by 36 seconds.

Following his second stage win this year, Alaphilippe leads Thomas, who is emerging as Team Ineos’ sole leader, by 1:26 and Dutchman Steven Kruijswijk by 2:12.

Saturday’s 14th stage is a 117.5-km mountain trek from Tarbes ending at top of the Col du Tourmalet, where the pre-race favorites will show their hands.

“I knew on that kind of course I could perform but I didn’t think I could win. The route suited me so I told myself ‘give everything, you have nothing to lose,’” said world number one Alaphilippe, winner of the Milan San Remo classic this season.

“I pushed my limits, it was crazy with the crowds, I don’t realize yet.”

Alaphilippe is the first Frenchman to win an individual time trial – prologues, which are shorter, excluded – since Jean-Francois Bernard in 1987.

Thomas’s teammate Egan Bernal lost ground as the Colombian finished 22nd, 1:36 off the pace and slipped from third to fifth in the general classification.

Frenchman Thibaut Pinot, who lost considerable ground when caught at the wrong end of a bunch split last Monday, moved up to seventh thanks to a solid performance that kept him within two minutes of Thomas and took him to 30 seconds behind Bernal.

Alaphilippe’s teammate Enric Mac also had good day as the Spaniard moved up to fourth overall and snatched the white jersey for the best Under-25 rider from Bernal.