The two-time World Champion took a memorable stage victory from the breakaway last May.
“I enjoyed the whole Giro d’Italia. We had a beautiful team here and experienced a fantastic atmosphere, which made these three weeks go by much easier. I loved every single moment spent in the race, I loved the fans and the way they welcomed us and cheered for us every day. The victory I got in Fano, just a couple of days after coming runner-up on stage six, was just incredible. It was more than a goal, it was my dream when I came to the start of my first Giro, and to achieve it gave me great joy.
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It wasn’t planned to go from the distance on that day, but I went with my instinct. I remember the stage was full gas from the start and my amazing team did a great job in the opening part, then I went all-out on the climbs and got a gap together with Mirco Maestri. We worked well together and he too would have deserved to win, because without his help at the front, we wouldn’t have made it.
The advantage wasn’t big, but I felt good the entire stage, I raced with passion and grinta, and kept pushing and pushing without looking back until the final 500 meters, when I was finally sure of my win. It was a day of pure cycling, the kind of day that I love so much and that I will always remember.
To go onto the podium in Rome was another moment I will forever treasure. It was special to be named the most combative rider of the race, one of the most amazing in the world, and to receive the trophy with the Colosseum in the background was beautiful and emotional. At the end of the day, it was a memorable race for us – Tim took three stages, Jan finished top ten overall, we were present in a lot of breakaways – and we can all be proud of the way we fought and of what we did there.”
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
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Julian Alaphilippe 
