The Frenchman from Soudal Quick-Step won the second stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné on Monday at La Chaise-Dieu.
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The day after Christophe Laporte’s victory over the wire during the first stage, another Frenchman, a certain Julian Alaphilippe, again won the second stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné, Monday June 5. The runner of the Soudal Quick-Step won in the sprint on arrival at La Chaise-Dieu to offer himself the 41st victory of his career, ahead of Richard Carapaz and Natnael Tesfatsion.
After a frustrating first third of the season, the double world champion offers his second success of the year, after the Classic de l’Ardèche, and climbs to second place in the general classification of Dauphiné, at the same time as the yellow jersey, Christophe Laporte.
Les Tricolores on display
Like the inaugural stage, the breakaway led by the three French Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies), Kenny Elissonde (Tref-Segafredo) and Nans Peters (AG2R-Citroën), was caught in the last kilometers. Only the Habs Donavan Grondin (Arkéa-Samsic), wearing the blue jersey with white polka dots, did not follow the pace imposed by the peloton, victim of cramps 50 kilometers from the finish. If he lost (a lot) of time in general, the Reunionese provided the essentials by keeping the mountain jersey for the 3rd stage.
Already paying off the day before, Jumbo-Visma’s strategy once again did damage. Dictating the tempo of the peloton throughout the stage, supported for a time by the Soudal Quick-Step, the Dutch formation set a hellish pace, leaving little room for breakaways and allowing Christophe Laporte to climb to the foot from the podium. Often at the service of his teammates, the Varois will be able to savor a new stage under the spotlight on Tuesday, with his overall leader’s tunic on his shoulders.
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