Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-QuickStep) has confirmed his return to form with victory on stage 2 at Critérium du Dauphiné, the Frenchman's first win since February. He claimed the victory in a near slow-motion bunch sprint, with the ramps coming to the line sapping the zip out of the riders' legs.
However, while most of the fastest men in the bunch were jettisoned out the back on the tough run in to the line, Ireland's Sam Bennett (Bora-hansgrohe) was right in the mix as the final sprint began.
And though Bennett had no sprint when he tried to kick, the fact he was present when the other speedsters could not stay in the group perhaps shows his condition is improving as the Tour de France gets closer.
Bennett had to be content with 11th place today, though his performance was much better than yesterday when he lost contact with the main field on the penultimate climb with about 33km to go.
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Today the Irishman was on the wheel of yesterday's stage winner, Christophe Laporte (Jumbo Visma), as the sprint was starting. However, the final kick to the line suited general classification riders just as much as it did the sprinters, with Bennett going backwards as some of the climbers' stepped up to fight fight for stage honours.
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Behind winner Alaphilippe, Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) was 2nd on the stage - some 167.3km from Brassac-les-Mines to La Chaise-Dieu - with Natnael Tesfatsion (Trek-Segafredo) in 3rd.
More to come.
