Michael Storer values Julian Alaphilippe's support for surprising win in Auron: "When you have a two time World Champion pulling for you in the front group, it is super motivating"
Cycling
Michael Storer is no stranger to winning big races on the calendar, but today for the first time he became a stage winner for Tudor Pro Cycling Team. It was due to a successful breakaway on stage 7 of the race, where he simultaneously won the stage and climbed well into the GC fight.
“It was an incredible day. When you have a two time World Champion pulling for you in the front group, it is super motivating," the Australian admitted in a post-race interivew. "Also all my teammates helped me all week. The plan was to have Julian in the breakaway. I wasn’t supposed to follow the first attack but raced with my feelings and just went".
The rainy weather helped towards the chaos of the opening hour of racing, and Storer decided he had little to lose and took the risk of joining the breakaway. With 15 riders up front, there was plenty power too keep the gap alive, which was exactly what hapened.
"It was a nice group and it became perfect when Julian came across. He has a perfect sense of the race and saw an opportunity there. He was the most important guy for the team today and I am happy I could finish it off," he praised the Frenchman.
Besides handling the cold, rain and eventually snow, all Storer had to do was to show his climbing prowess on the ascent to Auron. He didn't ask for or need much support, as with his own pace he dropped all of his group companions and stormed to a strong stage win.
The peloton was far from catching up with him, and the time gained proved valuable in an effective and successful GC raid straight into the Top5 of the race: "The 4th place in the GC is a nice bonus but the stage win is just incredible.”
🏁 Une belle victoire en solitaire sous la neige ! ❄️
— Paris-Nice (@ParisNice) March 15, 2025
⏪ Revivez le dernier kilomètre de l’étape 7
🏁 A great solo victory in the snow! ❄️
⏪ Relive the final kilometer of Stage 7#ParisNice pic.twitter.com/jC78af28GL
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- Is this a joke?Jkolner12316-03-2025
- He has declined leadership though in the past? Lack of confidence? Hedging your bets works sometimes, at other times it is better to commit and go in big.Cyclingsbestfan16-03-2025
- Pidcock is starting sound like a more mature rider. It may be the media reports when he was at ineos skewing things, but he starting to sound like a defferent person.Cyclingsbestfan16-03-2025
- Yep If he could just get some consistency going with his form, he would be a rider to be reckoned with in any gc race. As it is he blows hot and cold.Cyclingsbestfan16-03-2025
- I was watching the race live, and it seems like this crash could have been avoided. A pre-race course inspection and appropriate signage.yuckly16-03-2025
- Jonas won T-A last tear and wanted to do P-N this year. Jorgensen also wanted to do it, he declined every si gle opportunity to be a solo leader, eevry stage race Jonas doesn't do, Girovappaxbipmv16-03-2025
- I agree, he either needs a surprise attack in the final, win a sprint or just somehow overpower everyonevappaxbipmv16-03-2025
- Did old man Bruyneel make this point before Jonas crashed out?Renz16-03-2025
- Good win for Ayuso. He has appeared a bit inconsistent on mountain stages in the past; absolutely brilliant on some but then cracking on others.Cooldude16-03-2025
- A little caution is understandable. Just ask Roglic.Cooldude16-03-2025