Julian Alaphilippe wins Clasica San Sebastian

Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) carried his superb Tour de France form into this weekend, winning the San Sebastian Classic after a two-up sprint with Bauke Mollema (Trek Segafredo). The pair escaped on the final climb of the race and were never in danger of being caught by a chase group that contained many of the other pre-race favourites.

Alaphilippe and Mollema established a 30-second lead inside the final 8km of racing and the Frenchman controlled the sprint from start to finish, with Mollema forced to settle for second. Anthony Roux (FDJ) finished third.

The race was overshadowed by a crash with just under 20km remaining. Both Egan Bernal (Team Sky) and Mikel Landa (Team Movistar) were placed in neck-braces and taken to hospital.

For Alaphilippe the win cemented his ever-growing reputation as one of cycling's most multi-talented riders. The Frenchman won two stages and the king of the mountains jersey at the Tour de France, and can came into San Sebastian as a leading contender.

"I knew that the race suited my characteristics, but I honestly didn’t expect to win today," Alaphilippe said. "I didn’t feel very good, as I was tired after a long and hard Tour de France, but stayed focused in the final and made my effort at the right time, using the last climb as launch pad.

"I want to say a big thank you to my teammates, who protected and helped me throughout the day, believing in my chances. I am very happy after this win, because San Sebastian is a special race which I like a lot and it means a lot to conclude this part of the season with another beautiful victory."

The race effectively came down to a battle on the final climb after several early breaks were neutralised thanks to work from BMC Racing, Astana, Trek Segafredo and Bahrain Merida. The penultimate ascent of the Arkale softened up the remnants of the main bunch but it was Mollema - a previous winner - and his Trek teammates who took control on the final climb of Murgil Tontorra. The Dutchman's team thinned out the bunch to less than 20 riders before Astana moved to the front.

However, it was LottoNL Jumbo's talented young climber Antwan Tolhoek who created the first significant split with Rudy Mollard the only rider able to match the young Dutchman as the road began to rise to over 15 per cent.

Bahrain Merida looked to bring the pair back but with the leaders in sight, Mollema made his attack and quickly moved into the race lead. Just as the Dutchman looked to be in ascendancy Alaphilippe made contact, with a trailing Van Amermaet and the rest of the bunch unable to respond.

"I felt good," Mollema said. "But then on the top Alaphilippe was with me. We worked well together – it was one kilometer flat at the top, so we went pretty fast there and had a big gap already. And then we went down also fast and then it was just the two of us, but you know he is also fast in the sprint. I tried to hang on a bit and let him do the work the last 2kms especially, but still, he was faster than me."

The leading duo established a 15-second lead at the top of the climb and that soon doubled thanks to their combined efforts on the descent, and a lack of collaboration from the chasers. With the line in view, Alaphilippe moved to the front before using his convincing sprint to take another impressive win.

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Full Results

Swipe to scroll horizontally
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step Floors6:03:45
2Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-SegafredoRow 1 - Cell 2
3Anthony Roux (Fra) Groupama-FDJ0:00:16
4Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 3 - Cell 2
5Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 4 - Cell 2
6Rigoberto Uran (Col) EF Education First-Drapac p/b CannondaleRow 5 - Cell 2
7Ion Izagirre (Spa) Bahrain-MeridaRow 6 - Cell 2
8Robert Gesink (Ned) LottoNL-JumboRow 7 - Cell 2
9Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) LottoNL-JumboRow 8 - Cell 2
10Antwan Tolhoek (Ned) LottoNL-JumboRow 9 - Cell 2
11Rudy Molard (Fra) Groupama-FDJ0:00:20
12Daniel Martin (Irl) UAE Team Emirates0:00:43
13Toms Skujins (Lat) Trek-Segafredo0:00:48
14Igor Anton (Spa) Dimension Data0:00:49
15Daryl Impey (RSA) Mitchelton-Scott0:00:51
16Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Katusha-AlpecinRow 15 - Cell 2
17Diego Ulissi (Ita) UAE Team EmiratesRow 16 - Cell 2
18Pello Bilbao (Spa) Astana Pro TeamRow 17 - Cell 2
19James Knox (GBr) Quick-Step FloorsRow 18 - Cell 2
20Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 19 - Cell 2
21Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 20 - Cell 2
22Alex Aranburu Deba (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 21 - Cell 2
23Pieter Serry (Bel) Quick-Step FloorsRow 22 - Cell 2
24Omar Fraile (Spa) Astana Pro Team0:00:52
25Mikel Nieve (Spa) Mitchelton-ScottRow 24 - Cell 2
26Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Team Sky0:01:13
27Steve Morabito (Swi) Groupama-FDJRow 26 - Cell 2
28Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-SegafredoRow 27 - Cell 2
29Simon Clarke (Aus) EF Education First-Drapac p/b CannondaleRow 28 - Cell 2
30Daniel Martinez (Col) EF Education First-Drapac p/b CannondaleRow 29 - Cell 2
31Jack Bauer (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott0:01:40
32Jay McCarthy (Aus) Bora-Hansgrohe0:02:22
33Nikita Stalnov (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 32 - Cell 2
34Jan Polanc (Slo) UAE Team EmiratesRow 33 - Cell 2
35Kristijan Durasek (Cro) UAE Team EmiratesRow 34 - Cell 2
36Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 35 - Cell 2
37Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Katusha-AlpecinRow 36 - Cell 2
38Sergio Pardilla Bellon (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 37 - Cell 2
39Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 38 - Cell 2
40Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Quick-Step FloorsRow 39 - Cell 2
41Andrey Amador (CRc) Movistar TeamRow 40 - Cell 2
42Aleksandr Riabushenko (Blr) UAE Team Emirates0:03:32
43Nicholas Schultz (Aus) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 42 - Cell 2
44Hermann Pernsteiner (Aut) Bahrain-MeridaRow 43 - Cell 2
45Jonathan Lastra Martinez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 44 - Cell 2
46Louis Meintjes (RSA) Dimension DataRow 45 - Cell 2
47Jesus Ezquerra Muela (Spa) Burgos BH0:04:24
48Mikel Iturria Segurola (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-MuriasRow 47 - Cell 2
49Jhonatan Narvaez (Ecu) Quick-Step Floors0:04:26
50Koen de Kort (Ned) Trek-Segafredo0:04:49
51David De La Cruz (Spa) Team SkyRow 50 - Cell 2
52Bob Jungels (Lux) Quick-Step FloorsRow 51 - Cell 2
53Rafael Valls Ferri (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 52 - Cell 2
54Jetse Bol (Ned) Manzana Postobon0:05:21
55Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb0:05:47
56Jai Hindley (Aus) Team SunwebRow 55 - Cell 2
57Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team0:06:43
58Martijn Tusveld (Ned) Team Sunweb0:06:55
59Bakhtiyar Kozhatayev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 58 - Cell 2
60Merhawi Kudus (Eri) Dimension Data0:07:54
61Dario Cataldo (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 60 - Cell 2
62Jan Hirt (Cze) Astana Pro TeamRow 61 - Cell 2
63Benjamin King (USA) Dimension Data0:08:37
64Ian Boswell (USA) Katusha-AlpecinRow 63 - Cell 2
65Victor De La Parte (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 64 - Cell 2
66Pavel Kochetkov (Rus) Katusha-AlpecinRow 65 - Cell 2
67Cyril Barthe (Fra) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias0:09:21
68Jordi Simon Casulleras (Spa) Burgos BHRow 67 - Cell 2
69Sergio Rodriguez Reche (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-MuriasRow 68 - Cell 2
70Miles Scotson (Aus) BMC Racing TeamRow 69 - Cell 2
71Matteo Fabbro (Ita) Katusha-AlpecinRow 70 - Cell 2
72Willie Smit (RSA) Katusha-AlpecinRow 71 - Cell 2
73Nelson Oliveira (Por) Movistar TeamRow 72 - Cell 2
74Julen Amezqueta Moreno (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA0:10:15
75Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Team Sky0:10:29
76Christopher Hamilton (Aus) Team SunwebRow 75 - Cell 2
77Winner Anacona (Col) Movistar TeamRow 76 - Cell 2
78Kasper Asgreen (Den) Quick-Step FloorsRow 77 - Cell 2
79Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) UAE Team EmiratesRow 78 - Cell 2
80Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:11:35
81Pablo Torres Muiño (Spa) Burgos BH0:13:31
82Tiago Machado (Por) Katusha-AlpecinRow 81 - Cell 2
DNFEgan Bernal (Col) Team SkyRow 82 - Cell 2
DNFVasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team SkyRow 83 - Cell 2
DNFSebastian Henao (Col) Team SkyRow 84 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Lopez Garcia (Spa) Team SkyRow 85 - Cell 2
DNFTony Gallopin (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 86 - Cell 2
DNFFrançois Bidard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 87 - Cell 2
DNFMathias Frank (Swi) AG2R La MondialeRow 88 - Cell 2
DNFAlexandre Geniez (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 89 - Cell 2
DNFPierre Latour (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 90 - Cell 2
DNFMatteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La MondialeRow 91 - Cell 2
DNFMiguel Angel Lopez (Col) Astana Pro TeamRow 92 - Cell 2
DNFManuele Boaro (Ita) Bahrain-MeridaRow 93 - Cell 2
DNFGorka Izagirre (Spa) Bahrain-MeridaRow 94 - Cell 2
DNFRamunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Bahrain-MeridaRow 95 - Cell 2
DNFLuka Pibernik (Slo) Bahrain-MeridaRow 96 - Cell 2
DNFKanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Bahrain-MeridaRow 97 - Cell 2
DNFPatrick Bevin (NZl) BMC Racing TeamRow 98 - Cell 2
DNFSimon Gerrans (Aus) BMC Racing TeamRow 99 - Cell 2
DNFFrancisco Ventoso (Spa) BMC Racing TeamRow 100 - Cell 2
DNFLoïc Vliegen (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 101 - Cell 2
DNFChristoph Pfingsten (Ger) Bora-HansgroheRow 102 - Cell 2
DNFFelix Grossschartner (Aut) Bora-HansgroheRow 103 - Cell 2
DNFGregor Mühlberger (Aut) Bora-HansgroheRow 104 - Cell 2
DNFJuraj Sagan (Svk) Bora-HansgroheRow 105 - Cell 2
DNFAleksejs Saramotins (Lat) Bora-HansgroheRow 106 - Cell 2
DNFAndreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-HansgroheRow 107 - Cell 2
DNFJorge Cubero Galvez (Spa) Burgos BHRow 108 - Cell 2
DNFJosé Mendes (Por) Burgos BHRow 109 - Cell 2
DNFDiego Rubio Hernandez (Spa) Burgos BHRow 110 - Cell 2
DNFLuis Guillermo Mas Bonet (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 111 - Cell 2
DNFNelson Andres Soto Martinez (Col) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 112 - Cell 2
DNFLoic Chetout (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 113 - Cell 2
DNFMichaël Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 114 - Cell 2
DNFGarikoitz Bravo Oiarbide (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-MuriasRow 115 - Cell 2
DNFAritz Bagues Kalparsoro (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-MuriasRow 116 - Cell 2
DNFMikel Bizkarra Etxegibel (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-MuriasRow 117 - Cell 2
DNFJulen Irizar Laskurain (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-MuriasRow 118 - Cell 2
DNFArthur Vichot (Fra) Groupama-FDJRow 119 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJRow 120 - Cell 2
DNFMatthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Groupama-FDJRow 121 - Cell 2
DNFJérémy Roy (Fra) Groupama-FDJRow 122 - Cell 2
DNFTim Wellens (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 123 - Cell 2
DNFFrederik Frison (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 124 - Cell 2
DNFTomasz Marczynski (Pol) Lotto SoudalRow 125 - Cell 2
DNFRemy Mertz (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 126 - Cell 2
DNFMaxime Monfort (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 127 - Cell 2
DNFTosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 128 - Cell 2
DNFLuke Durbridge (Aus) Mitchelton-ScottRow 129 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Hepburn (Aus) Mitchelton-ScottRow 130 - Cell 2
DNFMathew Hayman (Aus) Mitchelton-ScottRow 131 - Cell 2
DNFSvein Tuft (Can) Mitchelton-ScottRow 132 - Cell 2
DNFMikel Landa (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 133 - Cell 2
DNFMarc Soler (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 134 - Cell 2
DNFStephen Cummings (GBr) Dimension DataRow 135 - Cell 2
DNFTom-Jelte Slagter (Ned) Dimension DataRow 136 - Cell 2
DNFJacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension DataRow 137 - Cell 2
DNFMatti Breschel (Den) EF Education First-Drapac p/b CannondaleRow 138 - Cell 2
DNFLawson Craddock (USA) EF Education First-Drapac p/b CannondaleRow 139 - Cell 2
DNFSebastian Langeveld (Ned) EF Education First-Drapac p/b CannondaleRow 140 - Cell 2
DNFTom Van Asbroeck (Bel) EF Education First-Drapac p/b CannondaleRow 141 - Cell 2
DNFPrimoz Roglic (Slo) LottoNL-JumboRow 142 - Cell 2
DNFBert-Jan Lindeman (Ned) LottoNL-JumboRow 143 - Cell 2
DNFPaul Martens (Ger) LottoNL-JumboRow 144 - Cell 2
DNFBram Tankink (Ned) LottoNL-JumboRow 145 - Cell 2
DNFSimon Geschke (Ger) Team SunwebRow 146 - Cell 2
DNFChad Haga (USA) Team SunwebRow 147 - Cell 2
DNFEdward Theuns (Bel) Team SunwebRow 148 - Cell 2
DNFEugenio Alafaci (Ita) Trek-SegafredoRow 149 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Gogl (Aut) Trek-SegafredoRow 150 - Cell 2
DNFMarkel Irizar (Spa) Trek-SegafredoRow 151 - Cell 2
DNFManuele Mori (Ita) UAE Team EmiratesRow 152 - Cell 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Mountains classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Cyril Barthe (Fra) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias31pts
2Pablo Torres Muiño (Spa) Burgos BH15Row 1 - Cell 3
3Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step Floors5Row 2 - Cell 3
4Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Team Sky4Row 3 - Cell 3
5Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo3Row 4 - Cell 3
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Sprints classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Pablo Torres Muiño (Spa) Burgos BH9pts
2Cyril Barthe (Fra) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias5Row 1 - Cell 3

 

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Daniel Benson

Daniel Benson was the Editor in Chief at Cyclingnews.com between 2008 and 2022. Based in the UK, he joined the Cyclingnews team in 2008 as the site's first UK-based Managing Editor. In that time, he reported on over a dozen editions of the Tour de France, several World Championships, the Tour Down Under, Spring Classics, and the London 2012 Olympic Games. With the help of the excellent editorial team, he ran the coverage on Cyclingnews and has interviewed leading figures in the sport including UCI Presidents and Tour de France winners.

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