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"

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.

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"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.”  

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