Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe got back winning after an injury-plagued two years with a commanding victory in the 12th stage of the Giro d'Italia on Thursday.
The 31-year-old former double world champion crossed the line alone after a 126km breakaway, as Slovenian Tadej Pogacar kept the race leader's pink jersey.
Alaphilippe shook off Italian breakaway companion Mirco Maestri on the last climb of the day after the 193km run north to Fano, along the Adriatic Coast.
⚡ One of the greatest fuga to ever fuga. On a stage promised for the breakaway, we witnessed history.
— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 16, 2024
An emotional winner after a great day, this really was ciclismo.#GirodItalia pic.twitter.com/b8QYf4ycjN
"That feels good!" said Alaphilippe, who is competing in his first Giro, and completed the set of stage wins on the three Grand Tours -- France, Italy and Spain.
"It's a victory that does a lot of good, an important victory for me," continued the Soudal-Quick Step rider whose last win was a stage in the Criterium du Dauphine in June last year.
"I thank all my team who controlled the start of the stage very well. I told them that it was a stage that I had ticked off. It was a dream to win in the Giro. Glad to have done it."
After a first attack, 138km from the line, Alaphilippe and Maestri, from the Polti-Kometa team, took off together.
The pair worked perfectly to keep several groups of pursuers at bay in a hilly stage ideal for breakaways.
'A FIGHTER'
Alaphilippe finally left behind his companion 11.5km from the line in the last sharp climb and then resisted Ecuadorian Jhonatan Narvaez and the Belgian Quinten Hermans, who finished half a minute off the pace.
"It's beautiful because there is a way and I waited for it," said Alaphilippe, who finished second in the sixth stage a week ago.
"I think I deserved it because I really went for it. I really want to savour the moment because I've come a long way."
🗣️ "It's a dream come true to win on the #GirodItalia, thank you to my team and my family for their support" - 🇫🇷 @alafpolak1
— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 16, 2024
🔈 The first words of an emotional stage winner ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/z5Y4gbb5Hj
For Alaphilippe his 42nd career victory erased two particularly difficult years since his serious fall in Liege-Bastogne-Liege in April 2022, which was followed by falls, injuries and the criticism of Soudal-Quick Step team manager Patrick Lefevere.
His return to form comes in the country where he achieved some of his greatest successes, the Milan-San Remo and Strade Bianche in 2019 as well as the World Championships in Imola in 2020.
Pogacar, a two-time Tour de France champion, held the race lead ahead of Daniel Martinez and Geraint Thomas as the favourites arrived over five minutes after the winner.
👕 The jerseys after Stage 1️⃣2️⃣ :
— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 16, 2024
💗 🇸🇮 @Tamaupogi (UAD) @EnelGroupIT
📊 https://t.co/7IWZmdlacT
#GirodItalia | #jerseys pic.twitter.com/xNpVv1AFBO
"It's an impressive victory. He showed that he remains one of the best riders in the world. This is the Alaphilippe that everyone wants to see," said Pogacar.
"Everyone is very happy for him. He did something incredible," added Alaphilippe's sporting director Geert Van Bondt.
"He's a fighter, the last two years haven't been easy for him but he stuck with it and kept working. He was rewarded today."
The 31-year-old Soudal-Quick Step rider completed the set of stage wins on the three Grand Tours – France, Italy and Spain.
After a first attack, 138km from the line, Alaphilippe and Maestri took off together.
The two riders worked together perfectly to keep several groups of pursuers at bay in a hilly stage ideal for breakaways.
Alaphilippe finally left behind his companion 11.5km from the finish in the last sharp climb and then resisted the pursuit from Ecuadorian Jhonatan Narvaez and the Belgian Quinten Hermans, who finished half a minute off the pace.
Pogacar, a two-time Tour de France winner, held onto the leader's pink jersey ahead of Daniel Martinez and Geraint Thomas as the favourites arrived over five minutes after the winner.
For Alaphilippe, who has been plagued by injuries, his return to form comes in the country where he achieved some of his greatest successes, the Milan-San Remo and Strade Bianche in 2019 as well as the World Championships in Imola in 2020.
STAGE 12 RESULTS
1. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Soudal - Quick-Step 4:07:44
2. Jhonatan Narváez (ECU) INEOS Grenadiers +31
3. Quinten Hermans (BEL) Alpecin - Deceuninck +32
4. Michael Valgren (DEN) EF Education - EasyPost +43
5. Christian Scaroni (ITA) Astana - Qazaqstan Team "
6. Matteo Trentin (ITA) Tudor Pro Cycling Team +1:30
7. Simon Clarke (AUS) Israel - Premier Tech "
8. Gijs Leemreize (NED) Team dsm-firmenich - "
PostNL
9. Mirco Maestri (ITA) Team Polti - Kometa "
10. Benjamin Thomas (FRA) Cofidis "
11. Dion Smith (NZL) Intermarché - Wanty +2:57
12. Rafal Majka (POL) UAE Team Emirates +5:25
13. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates "
14. Daniel Martínez (COL) BORA - hansgrohe "
15. Giovanni Aleotti (ITA) BORA - hansgrohe "
16. Jonas Koch (GER) BORA - hansgrohe "
17. Geraint Thomas (GBR) INEOS Grenadiers "
18. Thymen Arensman (NED) INEOS Grenadiers "
19. Damiano Caruso (ITA) Bahrain Victorious "
20. Antonio Tiberi (ITA) Bahrain Victorious "
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 45:22:35
2. Daniel Martínez (COL) BORA - hansgrohe +2:40
3. Geraint Thomas (GBR) INEOS Grenadiers +2:56
4. Ben O'Connor (AUS) Decathlon - AG2R - La +3:39
Mondiale Team
5. Antonio Tiberi (ITA) Bahrain Victorious +4:27
6. Romain Bardet (FRA) Team dsm-firmenich - +4:57
PostNL
7. Lorenzo Fortunato (ITA) Astana - Qazaqstan Team +5:19
8. Filippo Zana (ITA) Team Jayco - AlUla +5:23
9. Einer Rubio (COL) Movistar Team +5:28
10. Thymen Arensman (NED) INEOS Grenadiers +5:52