In March Strade Bianche and Milano-Sanremo, yesterday the encore in the Freccia Vallone, Julian Alaphilippe's star shines more and more in the firmament of world cycling. While waiting for the big names in stage racing to take the stage with the start of the Giro d'Italia in just over two weeks, it is he, the twenty-seven-year-old Frenchman from Saint-Amand-Montrond, who dominates the great spring classics, a finisseur with an explosive snap that seems to have no rivals today. On the Mur d'Huy last year Valverde and Vanendert did well, yesterday he first reached and then electrocuted Jacob Fuglsang, the Dane who once again was denied the joy of a victory by the extraordinary form of the Deuceninck leader- Quick Steps.
A pairing, that Alaphilippe-Fulgsang, which characterized the order of arrival of the Strade Bianche on the dirt roads of Chianti and which reappeared yesterday on top of the wall where the finish line of the Freccia Vallona is located. Only last Sunday's Amstel Gold Race saw the victory plans of this unprecedented couple blown up with Alaphilippe and Fuglsang on the run and in the lead up to 500 meters from the finish line, who by dint of controlling each other in view of the sprint at two, they supinely let themselves be overtaken by that speeding train that was Mathieu Van der Poel who with a prodigious chase dragged the whole group on the treads, overtaking them and winning an edition of the Amstel Gold Race that will go down in history for this final mockery
But yesterday on the tremendous slopes of the Mur d'Huy Alaphilippe was relentless responding to Fuglsang's stretch, an action that cut off everyone's legs, even Alejandro Valverde, undisputed king of the Ardennes with his successes nine successes, including Freccia Walloon (5) and Liège-Bastogne-Liège (4). The world champion who attacked the Mur d'Huy in the first positions, crashed 300 meters from the finish when Fuglsand took off, even ending up outside the top ten, where two Italians finished, Diego Ulissi, a good third , and Enrico Gasparotto tenth. Unfortunate epilogue for Domenico Pozzovico, who fell slamming into a traffic island about thirty km from the finish: withdrawal and hospitalization without fractures but with a wounded face and a concussion was inevitable for the athlete from Basilicata from Bahrain-Merida. His participation in the next Juro d'Italia, which will start on May 11, is highly at risk. For Vincenzo Nibali's team it would be a bad loss.
With yesterday's success, Alaphilippe is increasingly the leader of the 2019 World ranking, a ranking in which Peter Sagan is sinking, once again surrendering halfway through the foot of one of the many "cotes" scattered along the course of the Freccia. A retreat that follows the Easter one in the Amstel Gold Race, for the former world champion the spring season had never been so complicated and lacking in sharp points. So disappointed with his condition that Sagan announced his withdrawal from Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday 28 April. The fourth classic-monument that Sagan has never raced and that this year seemed willing to race also attracted by the new route that includes the last climb, the Cote de la Roche-aux-Faucons, 15 km from the finish.
The Slovakian has decided to take a break for reflection: he will return to racing at the Tour of California which will take place in mid-May. Certainly Alaphilippe will be at Doyenne's start with the bookmakers giving him the big favorite in a race that saw him already second in 2015 and fourth last year. He will have to contend above all with Valverde who, after the defeat in the Freccia, dreams of hitting the center for the fifth, equaling Eddy Merckx's record of victories. It would be the best way for the reigning world champion to celebrate his 39th birthday today, April 25th. But Alaphilippe these days is unlikely to give discounts and gifts. de that after the
