Alaphilippe has to be favourite – Thomas
GERAINT Thomas was left stunned by the sizzling display of Julian Alaphilippe in the Tour de France’s ‘race of truth’.
Defending champion Thomas had expected to gain time on the French darling but lost 14 seconds in the Pau 27.2km time trial.
They finished one and two ahead of Belgian Thomas de Gendt (Lotto Soudal) to stay top of the standings in the race for the yellow jersey after 13 of the 21 stages. Team Ineos leader Thomas is 1min 26sec behind Alaphilippe in the overall standings with Dutchman Steven Kruijswijk (Jumbo-Visma) climbing to third at 2min 12sec.
Alaphilippe’s Deceuninck-QuickStep teammate Enric Mas is up to fourth at 2min 44sec with Thomas’ lieutenant Egan Bernal dropping to fifth at 2min 54sec. Thomas admitted he didn’t expect Alaphilippe to beat him in the race against the clock.
“He’s obviously going incredibly well,” said Wales’ twice Olympic
track gold medallist. Asked if he thought Classics specialist Alaphilippe was now a genuine challenger to wear the yellow jersey all the way to Paris, Thomas replied with an emphatic yes.
“He’s certainly the favourite, the one to watch, for sure the way he is riding. If he can keep that up he will win,” the 33-year-old added.
But Thomas warned: “But there’s a long way to go – there are some hard stages to come.”
There are back-to-back mountain stages this weekend with tomorrow’s finishing on top of the 2,115m high Col du Tourmalet and Sunday’s at the summit of Foix Prat d’Albis.
Alaphilippe said: “I knew that I really could do a good performance on this parcours.
“I just gave everything, the first part was very good for me. I just gave it everything, went full gas and won the stage.
“I’m just so happy and want to enjoy it. To do something like I did shows the confidence and shape I have.”
But, asked if he could become the first Frenchman to triumph at the Tour since Bernard Hinault in 1985, Alaphilippe claimed: “We don’t have the team to win.”
However, after a pause, he added: “But we ride really aggressively and we try to win.”
General classification after stage 13
1. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra/DeceuninckQuick-Step) 53hrs 1min 9secs
2. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Ineos) +1min 26secs
3. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned/Team Jumbo-Visma) +2mins 12secs
4. Enric Mas (Spa/Deceuninck-QuickStep) +2mins 44secs
5. Egan Bernal (Col/Team Ineos) +2mins 52secs