Alaphilippe strengthens grip on the green jersey
![Alaphilippe strengthens grip on the green jersey](/images/news_article/c_c/800x400/nikova-os-3-stage-8786_1719667126.jpg)
Julian Alaphilippe became favourite to take home the green jersey of the race after another strong showing, on the toughest stage of the week so far. Victorious on the previous stage thanks to a canny attack that fooled the sprinters and moved him up to second on the general classification, the 32-year-old was again prominent on Saturday, when the peloton tackled seven ranked ascents.
The stage four breakaway numbered only four riders, but they managed to open a gap of ten minutes which forced the bunch to pull really hard on the climbs. Soudal Quick-Step worked tirelessly at the front, home rider Martin Svrcek putting in a colossal effort to reduce the buffer of the escapees. By the time they reached the base of the final hill, around one minute was separating the chasers from the leaders, and that was the cue for Alaphilippe to launch a stinging attack.
The two-time World Champion forced an important selection, only a handful of riders being able to join him, and continued to push after the top, clawing back time on the roads to Ruzomberok. Unfortunately for him, they ran out of road and the breakaway made it for just a couple of seconds, Johannes Adamietz (Lotto Dstny) taking the win from that small group.
Alaphilippe concluded top ten and remained second overall, just two seconds from yellow. At the same time, Soudal Quick-Step’s leader cemented his place at the top of the points classification, which he is favourite to win on Sunday, when the Okolo Slovenska will come to an end with an uphill finish in Strbske Pleso.
Photo credit: ©Sona Nikova
Race details
1 |
Johannes Adamietz Lotto Dstny |
4:28:02 |
2 |
Kyrylo Tsarenko Team Corratec - Vini Fantini |
0:00 |
3 |
Pierre Thierry |
0:00 |
4 |
Andrea Garosio Team Polti Kometa |
0:04 |
5 |
Jenno Berckmoes Lotto Dstny |
0:17 |
6 |
Mauro Schmid Team Jayco AlUla |
0:17 |
7 |
Julian Alaphilippe
Soudal Quick-Step |
0:22 |
8 |
Anders Foldager Team Jayco AlUla |
0:52 |
9 |
Fernando Barceló Aragón Caja Rural - Seguros RGA |
0:52 |
10 |
Lukáš Kubiš Elkov - Kasper |
0:52 |
14 |
Gil Gelders
Soudal Quick-Step |
0:52 |
22 |
Paul Magnier
Soudal Quick-Step |
1:24 |
24 |
Pepijn Reinderink
Soudal Quick-Step |
1:24 |
58 |
Martin Svrček
Soudal Quick-Step |
4:02 |
84 |
Andrea Raccagni Noviero Soudal Quick-Step |
9:08 |
127 |
Warre Vangheluwe
Soudal Quick-Step |
16:56 |
1 |
Mauro Schmid Team Jayco AlUla |
13:11:55 |
2 |
Julian Alaphilippe
Soudal Quick-Step |
0:02 |
3 |
Anders Foldager Team Jayco AlUla |
0:22 |
4 |
Jenno Berckmoes Lotto Dstny |
0:33 |
5 |
Felix Engelhardt Team Jayco AlUla |
0:35 |
6 |
Gil Gelders
Soudal Quick-Step |
1:03 |
7 |
Callum Scotson Team Jayco AlUla |
1:10 |
8 |
Sylvain Moniquet Lotto Dstny |
1:25 |
9 |
Andrea Garosio Team Polti Kometa |
1:35 |
10 |
Pepijn Reinderink
Soudal Quick-Step |
1:35 |
48 |
Martin Svrček
Soudal Quick-Step |
5:33 |
55 |
Paul Magnier
Soudal Quick-Step |
7:00 |
79 |
Andrea Raccagni Noviero Soudal Quick-Step |
14:15 |
109 |
Warre Vangheluwe
Soudal Quick-Step |
1:25:21 |
1 |
Julian Alaphilippe
Soudal Quick-Step |
34 pt |
2 |
Jenno Berckmoes Lotto Dstny |
31 pt |
3 |
Anders Foldager Team Jayco AlUla |
24 pt |
4 |
Lukáš Kubiš Elkov - Kasper |
21 pt |
5 |
Johannes Adamietz Lotto Dstny |
20 pt |
6 |
Andrea Garosio Team Polti Kometa |
19 pt |
7 |
Kyrylo Tsarenko Team Corratec - Vini Fantini |
18 pt |
8 |
Dimitri Peyskens Bingoal WB |
16 pt |
9 |
Paul Magnier
Soudal Quick-Step |
15 pt |
10 |
Hamish Beadle Team Novo Nordisk |
12 pt |
20 |
Gil Gelders
Soudal Quick-Step |
4 pt |
27 |
Warre Vangheluwe
Soudal Quick-Step |
1 pt |
1 |
Kyrylo Tsarenko Team Corratec - Vini Fantini |
40 pt |
2 |
Matúš Štoček ATT Investments |
35 pt |
3 |
Johannes Adamietz Lotto Dstny |
34 pt |
4 |
Dimitri Peyskens Bingoal WB |
20 pt |
5 |
Pierre Thierry |
19 pt |
6 |
Andrea Garosio Team Polti Kometa |
18 pt |
7 |
Jente Klaver VolkerWessels Cycling Team |
15 pt |
8 |
Tomáš Kalojíros Pierre Baguette Cycling |
7 pt |
9 |
Amund Grøndahl Jansen Team Jayco AlUla |
6 pt |
10 |
Žiga Horvat Hrinkow Advarics |
4 pt |
11 |
Martin Svrček
Soudal Quick-Step |
3 pt |
14 |
Pepijn Reinderink
Soudal Quick-Step |
1 pt |
1 |
Gil Gelders
Soudal Quick-Step |
13:12:58 |
2 |
Pepijn Reinderink
Soudal Quick-Step |
0:32 |
3 |
Embret Svestad-Bårdseng |
1:04 |
4 |
Baptiste Gillet |
2:10 |
5 |
Pierre Thierry |
2:34 |
6 |
Matthias Schwarzbacher ATT Investments |
2:39 |
7 |
Filip Gruszczynski Biesse - Carrera |
2:51 |
8 |
Michiel Lambrecht Bingoal WB |
3:21 |
9 |
Andrea Montoli Biesse - Carrera |
3:41 |
10 |
Davide Donati Biesse - Carrera |
3:53 |
12 |
Martin Svrček
Soudal Quick-Step |
4:30 |
13 |
Paul Magnier
Soudal Quick-Step |
5:57 |
21 |
Andrea Raccagni Noviero Soudal Quick-Step |
13:12 |
1 | Lotto Dstny | 38:33:19 |
2 | Team Jayco AlUla | 0:07 |
3 | Soudal Quick-Step | 0:46 |
4 | Team Polti Kometa | 1:55 |
5 | Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team | 2:56 |
6 | Cofidis | 3:13 |
7 | Array | 3:39 |
8 | Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | 4:08 |
9 | Elkov - Kasper | 5:40 |
10 | VolkerWessels Cycling Team | 5:48 |