"It wasn't for the breakaway today, that's how it is" - Julian Alaphilippe rues another missed chance at Giro d'Italia

Julian Alaphilippe tried to match Tadej Pogacar on stage 1 of the Giro d'Italia; and on stage 6 he joined the breakaway and went on to finish second on the day. On the first day in the high-mountains the former World Champion went all out from early on as traditional but is disappointed with the fierce chasing coming from UAE Team Emirates.

"I wanted to give it a try. I have no regrets, I tried even if it wasn't easy," Alaphilippe said in words to Cyclism'Actu. "It was a bit hard for the group to collaborate well, we never got much ahead I even hesitated to get up at one point, but I don't really like doing that." The Frenchman, as traditional over the past two years, attacked several times - even from the breakaway - early in the day to try and build a group with enough strength to reach the finish ahead of the peloton.

Ultimately however this wasn't to be, but even if it was, the Soudal - Quick-Step rider was already distanced at the very base of Prati di Tivo. Another day down without a striking result to this Corsa Rosa where he hopes to return to the top step in a big World Tour race.

"UAE had a plan to make Pogacar win today I think even if I had restarted with a smaller group and riders who were less close overall, they would still have been riding hard behind them," he believes. "It wasn't for the breakaway today, that's how it is, on days like that, you have to have morale."