World champion Julian Alaphilippe wins first stage of Tour de Wallonie

Julian Alaphilippe has won the first stage of the Tour de Wallonie. The French world champion was the fastest to cross the finish line.

The breakaway riders included Fabian Lienhard (Groupama-FDJ), Johan Jacobs (Movistar), Casper Pedersen (Team DSM), Maxime Chevalier (B&B Hotels-KTM), and Lennert Teugels (Tarteletto-Isorex). The riders managed to create a gap of three minutes early in the stage.

Alaphilippe back to full-on racing with high ambitions: "I no longer have any after-effects from my fall"

On the climb of the Mur de Huy, the gap decreased to just two minutes. The peloton was catching up to the breakaway quickly. Only Jacobs and Pedersen could retain their lead twelve kilometers before the finish line.

Alaphilippe rode ahead of Alex Aranburu and Robert Stannard and secured the stage victory in the final steep ascent. Aranburu followed soon and finished in the second position. Stannard satisfied himself with bronze. Alaphilippe is the overall leader