Fortune favours the brave as Julian Alaphilippe wins after 125-kilometer long attack: "It was my dream to win a stage in the Giro"

Julian Alaphilippe has had very difficult seasons since 2022 and struggled to take big wins. He made a comeback today, where his aggressive style of racing rewarded him with a victory at the Giro d'Italia which completes the Grand Tour treble.

"I didn't plan it. I was expecting a big group to be in the breakaway," Alaphilippe said in a post-race interview. "I think first I have to thank my teammates who controlled perfectly the first 60k. After I was very focused to be in the front." As soon as the race entered it's hilly section, the Frenchman attacked and a small group formed out in front. Almost three dozen riders moved away from the peloton, but Alaphilippe did not want to be part of such group and made a move with 125 kilometers which was only followed by Mirco Maestri.

"We went first in the big group and then I said 'Mirco we go we go' and yeah. He really deserved to win today he was amazing. We did super work." The duo benefited from permanent lack of good collaboration in all the large chasing groups that pursued them. The gap was larger than a minute throughout most of the stage and the win was certain to come from the front into the final climb. Alaphilippe, who looked to have waited for Maestri earlier in the stage uphill, dropped his companion comfortably and held off Jhonatan Narváez and Quinten Hermans to take his first Giro win.

"I believed it, but until the last kilometer I have to keep pushing full gas because I hear Narváez is close behind me," he continued. This is a win that completes his treble of Grand Tour triumphs, a big career achievement. "It was my dream to win a stage in the Giro and I did it I'm really happy."