18-Jul-2019: Julian Alaphilippe passed without any difficulties the second mountain test of the Tour de France, which took the peloton into the Pyrenees for a 206.9km stage between Toulouse and Bagnères-de-Bigorre, featuring two first-category climbs: Col de Peyresourde (13.2, 7%) and Horquette d’Ancizan (9.9km, 7.5%).
A rapid start to proceedings had the bunch travel at 50.6km/h in the first hour before a breakaway finally established. Deceuninck – Quick-Step took up the pace-setting duties, working tirelessly behind the 42 men in the front for Alaphilippe. Elia Viviani – who repaid the favour after the yellow jersey contributed to his lead-out train on stage 4 to Nancy – Yves Lampaert and Maximiliano Richeze were the ones maintaining a steady pace in the bunch on the flat first part of the day, which took the race to the foot of the Peyresourde.
Featuring for the 66th time on the route, the climb first used in 1910 split the huge group up the road, leaving around 15 riders in the lead. Part of the original breakaway, Michael Mørkøv was dropped when the big attacks came close to the summit, but still had enough to take over from countryman Kasper Asgreen and relay in the valley after being caught.
Things remained calm also on Horquette d’Ancizan, which the field topped with 30 kilometers remaining, before starting a long descent to Bagnères-de-Bigorre, where they arrived around nine minutes behind winner Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott), who outsprinted his breakaway companions.
By keeping the overall lead after the race’s first foray into the Pyrenees, UCI World Individual Classification leader Julian Alaphilippe wrote a remarkable page of history at the Tour de France, as he’ll now get to wear the yellow jersey during the stage 13 individual time trial around Pau, on the day the race celebrates 100 years since the prized garment was introduced, ahead of a road stage starting from Grenoble.
“It’s historic to wear the yellow jersey on its 100ath anniversary and on Friday it will be a very special moment for me. As a Frenchman, to sport the maillot jaune in an individual time trial will be one of the most beautiful moments of my entire career. Having the yellow jersey tomorrow motivates me to hurt myself even more than usual and you can be sure that I will push my limits while enjoying every single minute of it”, an emotional Julian said after receiving his eighth maillot jaune since the start of the race.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele/ Getty Images
