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Stephen Farrand

'Good for morale' - Julian Alaphilippe shows a flash of his former brilliance on Tour de France hilly finish

Tudor Pro Cycling Team's French rider Julian Alaphilippe waves to spectators on Lille's Grand' Place during the official teams presentation days prior to the start of the 112th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, in Lille, northern France, on July 3, 2025. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP).

The crowd in Boulogne-sur-Mer briefly went wild when they saw Julian Alaphilippe on the front with five hundred metres to go on stage 2 of the Tour de France on Sunday. The French national hero was suddenly back at the sharp end of the race with a chance of winning the stage.

It felt like 2019 when the Frenchman won in Epernay, produced some aggressive, champagne cycling and wore the yellow jersey until the final mountain stages.

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