Alaphilippe racks up another top 10
![Alaphilippe racks up another top 10](/images/news_article/c_c/800x400/julian-alaphilippe-czech-tour-stage-2_1722008970.jpg)
Julian Alaphilippe was the first Soudal Quick-Step rider home on the second stage of the race, which scheduled a summit finish on the hard Pustevny, a 7.9km climb averaging 5.9%. The Frenchman, who returned to competition here for the first time since June’s National Championships, was one of the most active riders of the day and concluded sixth, a result which elevated him to the top ten overall.
The two-time World Champion went on the attack early, taking maximum points on the first classified ascent of the day and trying to form a breakaway in what was an action-packed start. The peloton reacted to this move and kept things together for more than 40 kilometers, despite the numerous attempts that came on the hilly terrain. When things eventually settled down, Soudal Quick-Step moved to the front of the bunch to set the tempo behind the four-man group up the road and protect yellow jersey Luke Lamperti, who put in a resilient display, managing to stay there until the first ascent of Pustevny.
Our team continued to push the pace and bring back the escapees, thanks to a stellar work of James Knox and Mattia Cattaneo, while Antoine Huby made sure of bringing Alaphilippe in a good position before the start of the day’s final difficulty. As the gradients kicked up, Julian remained well-placed and kept his calm despite the many accelerations that came, and managed to come home in a strong sixth behind stage winner Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates).
Seventh on the general classification of the Czech Tour, Alaphilippe is the highest-ranked Soudal Quick-Step rider ahead of the race’s second summit finish, on Dlouhe strane.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
Race details
1 |
Marc Hirschi UAE Team Emirates |
4:17:42 |
2 |
Diego Ulissi UAE Team Emirates |
0:11 |
3 |
Sergio Higuita García Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe |
0:14 |
4 |
Kevin Vermaerke Team dsm-firmenich PostNL |
0:17 |
5 |
Matteo Fabbro Team Polti Kometa |
0:17 |
6 |
Julian Alaphilippe
Soudal Quick-Step |
0:17 |
7 |
Marco Brenner Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
0:17 |
8 |
Mark Donovan Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
0:17 |
9 |
Kamiel Bonneu Team Flanders - Baloise |
0:17 |
10 |
Michael Storer Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
0:17 |
54 |
Antoine Huby
Soudal Quick-Step |
5:37 |
63 |
Mattia Cattaneo
Soudal Quick-Step |
8:58 |
72 |
James Knox
Soudal Quick-Step |
12:40 |
116 |
Kasper Asgreen
Soudal Quick-Step |
22:29 |
128 |
Luke Lamperti
Soudal Quick-Step |
24:26 |
136 |
Josef Černý
Soudal Quick-Step |
25:45 |
1 |
Marc Hirschi UAE Team Emirates |
7:47:57 |
2 |
Diego Ulissi UAE Team Emirates |
0:15 |
3 |
Sergio Higuita García Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe |
0:20 |
4 |
Kevin Vermaerke Team dsm-firmenich PostNL |
0:27 |
5 |
Marco Brenner Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
0:27 |
6 |
Matteo Fabbro Team Polti Kometa |
0:27 |
7 |
Julian Alaphilippe
Soudal Quick-Step |
0:27 |
8 |
Mark Donovan Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
0:27 |
9 |
Michael Storer Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
0:27 |
10 |
Kamiel Bonneu Team Flanders - Baloise |
0:27 |
54 |
Antoine Huby
Soudal Quick-Step |
5:47 |
62 |
Mattia Cattaneo
Soudal Quick-Step |
9:08 |
72 |
James Knox
Soudal Quick-Step |
12:50 |
119 |
Kasper Asgreen
Soudal Quick-Step |
22:39 |
128 |
Luke Lamperti
Soudal Quick-Step |
24:26 |
136 |
Josef Černý
Soudal Quick-Step |
25:55 |
1 |
Marc Hirschi UAE Team Emirates |
25 pt |
2 |
Luke Lamperti
Soudal Quick-Step |
25 pt |
3 |
Maikel Zijlaard Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
24 pt |
4 |
Pavel Bittner Team dsm-firmenich PostNL |
24 pt |
5 |
Diego Ulissi UAE Team Emirates |
20 pt |
6 |
Sergio Higuita García Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe |
16 pt |
7 |
Itamar Einhorn Israel Premier Tech Academy |
16 pt |
8 |
Kevin Vermaerke Team dsm-firmenich PostNL |
15 pt |
9 |
Matteo Fabbro Team Polti Kometa |
12 pt |
10 |
Juan Sebastián Molano Benavides UAE Team Emirates |
12 pt |
12 |
Julian Alaphilippe
Soudal Quick-Step |
10 pt |
1 |
Michal Schuran ATT Investments |
14 pt |
2 |
Marc Hirschi UAE Team Emirates |
8 pt |
3 |
Paul Double Team Polti Kometa |
8 pt |
4 |
Julian Alaphilippe
Soudal Quick-Step |
6 pt |
5 |
Tomáš Kalojíros Pierre Baguette Cycling |
6 pt |
6 |
Diego Ulissi UAE Team Emirates |
6 pt |
7 |
Sergio Higuita García Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe |
4 pt |
8 |
Kevin Vermaerke Team dsm-firmenich PostNL |
4 pt |
9 |
Marco Brenner Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
4 pt |
10 |
Ben Zwiehoff Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe |
4 pt |
1 |
Marco Brenner Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
7:48:24 |
2 |
Alexander Hajek Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe |
0:12 |
3 |
Andrew August INEOS Grenadiers |
0:16 |
4 |
Johannes Staune-Mittet Team Visma | Lease a Bike |
0:49 |
5 |
Giacomo Villa Bingoal WB |
0:52 |
6 |
Mats Wenzel Lidl - Trek Future Racing |
0:52 |
7 |
Andrii Ponomar Team Corratec - Vini Fantini |
1:35 |
8 |
Finlay Pickering Bahrain - Victorious |
2:42 |
9 |
Moritz Kretschy Israel Premier Tech Academy |
2:49 |
10 |
Viggo Moore Israel Premier Tech Academy |
3:03 |
33 |
Luke Lamperti
Soudal Quick-Step |
23:59 |
1 | Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe | 23:25:45 |
2 | Team Polti Kometa | 1:27 |
3 | Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team | 1:51 |
4 | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | 2:00 |
5 | Team Corratec - Vini Fantini | 2:59 |
6 | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | 3:20 |
7 | UAE Team Emirates | 3:47 |
8 | Uno-X Mobility | 4:24 |
9 | Intermarché - Wanty | 4:28 |
10 | Team Flanders - Baloise | 4:29 |