Alaphilippe sends Van Aert, Pidcock out the back at Strade Bianche | Video | Sticky Bottle

*Wout van Aert got back into the breakaway after being put under pressure*

Julian Alaphilippe put in a strong attack with 23km to go at Strade Bianche and sent Wout van Aert and Tom Pidcock out the back.

While both Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) and Van Aert (Jumbo Visma) had looked comfortable in the breakaway, when Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-QuickStep) squeezed on the pedals both riders went out of the back of the breakaway.

Quinn Simmons (Trek Segafredo) had been in the breakaway but punctured and got one of the worst changes you will see from neutral service.

He got into a chase group just behind but crashed in that group as he was hoping to get back up to the break.

For their part, Pidcock and Van Aert were just back into the breakaway at the time of writing, but they were under extreme pressure.

Soon after Pidcock and Van Aert got back on to the escape group, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin Fenix) attacked and only Alaphilippe was able to immediately follow, though Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) got up to the two leaders.

Those three were being chased by Van Aert, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), Michael Gogl (Qhubeka Assos) and Pidcock just inside the final 10km of what had been a great race.