Nightmare for Julian Alaphilippe: Primoz Roglic won the Liege-Bastogne-Liege this Sunday by beating the new world champion ‘in extremis’, who raised his arms too soon, before even being sanctioned with several places for an irregular maneuver in the final meters.
The Slovenian beat a group of favorites to the sprint who escaped at La Roche-aux-Faucons, the last ascent of the dean of the classics. The great loss of the Tour de France snatched victory from Alaphilippe, who was competing for the first time in the rainbow jersey, launching his bike at the last moment.
The French rider, who lurched in the final meters forcing Swiss Marc Hirschi to move away, was eventually pushed back to fifth by the stewards.
Hirschi, recent winner of the Walloon Arrow and bronze in the World Cup, was third in goal but second after the sanction to Alaphilippe. The Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, champion of the ‘Grande Boucle’ two weeks ago, completed the podium.
Good consolation for the biggest loser of the last Tour de France. Roglic, sunk two weeks ago when Pogacar snatched the final victory from him in the last time trial, this time took a valuable win. The Slovenian champion had a spectacular success in his first appearance in Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
The world No. 1 in the UCI rankings escaped with a first-rate quartet after an attack by Alaphilippe 500 meters from the summit of La Roche-aux-Faucons (1,300 meters at 11%).
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