Julian Alaphilippe stormed to a sensational victory on stage 12 of the Giro d’Italia in Fano after a long day in a two man breakaway with Mirco Maestri (Polti-Kometa).
After riding at a relentless pace all day, the Frenchman joined the select group of riders to have won stages in all three Grand Tours. Alaphilippe initially attacked from a huge breakaway, containing the likes of Jhonotan Narváez (Ineos Grenadiers), before dispatching Maestri on the steep final climb.
It was the first WorldTour win for the former two-time road World Champion since he won stage two of the Critérium du Dauphiné last year. Narváez took second with Quinten Hermans (Alpecin Deceuninck) grabbing third.
Alaphilippe and Maestri attacked from the lead group with more than 120 kilometres left to race, but rarely showed signs of letting up. The Frenchman then tore away from Maestri on the brutal ramps on the short final climb before soloing to the line.
EF Education-EasyPost’s Michael Valgren animated the chase behind, but was unable to keep tabs on Narváez and Hermans once they counter-attacked.
Valgren was forced to settle for fourth on the day behind the leaders.
Meanwhile, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) maintained control of the pink jersey.
How it happened
There was action from the off on stage 12, as multiple riders fought to get up the road and establish a breakaway.
Several groups tried and failed to get ahead before eventually, a move finally stuck. The steep, hilly course was tailor made for climbers and puncheurs, and unsurprisingly the likes of Juanpe Lopez (Lidl-Trek), Attila Valter Visma-Lease a Bike), Michael Valgren (EF Education-EasyPost), and Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Quick-Step) were amongst a huge initial breakaway.
Pelayo Sánchez (Movistar) was in a second group on the road attempting to bridge across to the leaders. After already seeing the Spaniard get the better of him on stage six, Alaphilippe attacked from the lead group and was followed by Mirco Maestri (Polti Kometa).
Alaphilippe and Maestri pushed on over the punchy terrain as the group behind them split up into two separate chase groups. The duo soon had a minute over the second group on the road and showed no sign of relenting.
With 36 kilometres to go, Alaphilippe led Maestri to the final categorised climb of the day as the duo worked flawlessly together to maintain their lead. Two climbs remained to the finish as the leaders tore over the undulating terrain in between the hills. The Frenchman won the final intermediate sprint of the day at Mondolfo.
The chase group behind the duo briefly made inroads into Alaphilippe and Maestri’s advantage before it extended out again on the punchy climbs that littered the final phase of racing. With 19 kilometres to go, the leaders were showing signs of fatigue
With 11 kilometres to go, the final climb began and with one attack, Alaphilippe was gone. The Frenchman powered up the initial ramp before hitting the false flat that led into the final brutal incline. Behind him, Michael Valgren launched a huge attack in a bid to drop the rest of the chase group before Jhonatan Manuel Narváez and Quinten Hermans (Alpecin Deceuninck) countered and passed the Danish rider.
Alaphilippe showed no sign of relenting, powering his way up the climb before slaloming down the technical descent towards the finish. The Soudal Quick-Step man held on to become the 47th French Giro stage winner as Narváez took second and Hermans came in third.
Results
Giro d’Italia 2024, stage 12: Martinsicuro > Fano (193 km)
1. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Soudal Quick-Step, in 4:07:44
2. Jhonatan Narváez (Ecu) Ineos Grenadiers, at 31s
3. Quinten Hermans (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck, at 32s
4. Michael Valgren (Den) EF Education-EasyPost, at 43s
5. Christian Scaroni (Ita) Astana Qazaqstan, at same time
6. Matteo Trentin (Ita) Tudor Pro Cycling, 1:30
7. Simon Clarke (Aus) Israel-Premier Tech,
8. Gijs Leemreize (Ned) dsm-firmenich Post NL,
9. Mirco Maestri (Ita) Polti Kometa,
10. Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Cofidis, all at same time
General classification after stage 12
1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates, in 45:22:35
2. Daniel Martinez (Col) Bora-Hansgrohe, +2:40
3. Geraint Thomas (Gbr) Ineos Grenadiers, +2:56
4. Ben O'Connor (Aus) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale, +3:39
5. Antonio Tiberi (Ita) bahrain Victorious, +4-27
6. Romain Bardet (Fra) dsm-firmenich PostNL, +4-57
7. Lorenzo Fortunato (Ita) Astana Qazaqstan, +5:19
8. Filippo Zana (Ita) Jayco-AIUla, +5:23
9. Einer Rubio (Col) Movistar, +5:28
10. Thymen Arensman (Ned) Ineos Grenadiers, +5:52
