Far from the Lotois time trial between Lacapelle-Marival and Rocamadour on behalf of the 20th stage of the Tour de France, Julian Alaphilippe has brilliantly signed his return to competition. In poor shape, following his heavy fall during Liège-Bastogne-Liège in April, the French world champion had been excluded from the 2022 edition of the Grande Boucle by the boss of the Quick-Step team, Patrick Lefevere. This time, the 30-year-old runner seems to have found some color. On the occasion of the first stage of the Tour de Wallonie, this Saturday, he won his 39th career victory.
This first act, starting from Temploux to the west of Namur (Belgium), therefore turned to the advantage of Alaphilippe who triumphed at the mythical Mur de Huy after a 174.4 kilometer long stage. A formidable climb (1.3km at 9.8% average) that the Quick-Step runner knows perfectly since he had already won there three times by winning the Walloon arrow in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
Long neck and neck with the Eritrean, Biniam Girmay, winner of a stage in the Giro this season, the Frenchman finally ruled out all competition to take the lead in the general classification. Alex Aramburu (Movistar) and Robert Stannard (Alpecin-Deceuninck) complete the podium. Julian Alaphilippe won his second success of the season there.
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