Peter Sagan did not catch Alaphilippe’s attack, Baška’s efforts were stopped by a fall: There was no more cooperation – Športky.sk

LEUVEN – French cyclist Julian Alaphilippe defended the title of world champion in the mass start race. On Sunday, he triumphed on the 268.3 km long track that led from Antwerp to Leuven, when he attacked 17.4 km before the finish. The Dutchman Dylan van Baarle finished second and the Danish Michael Valgren finished third.

Slovak Peter Sagan did not make a decisive escape and did not fight for medals, he took 26th place. The other three Slovaks Juraj Sagan, Erik Baška and Patrik Tybor did not finish the race.

Alaphilippe can imitate Sagan

Twenty-nine-year-old Alaphilippe defended his gold from last year’s World Championships in Imola, where he also won after a solo escape. On Sunday, he took advantage of the great work of the French team, which has been very active since the start of the race and, thanks to aggressive tactics, tore the peloton several times. The conclusion was directed by Alaphilippe himself, first he created a decisive escape 58 km before the finish and then he became independent at the head on the climb 17.4 km before the tape.

“I’m extremely happy, I’ll really enjoy it. Defending the title is a huge emotion for me. I was well prepared, but I also had difficult moments. The track suited me. In the end, I wanted to reduce the group, which I did,” said Alaphilippe, who can emulate Sagan next year and achieve a winning hat-trick. For the French, it was the 37th victory in his career.

Sagan did not intercept his attack

Three-time world champion Sagan was unable to respond to his attack 58 km before the end. After him, a strong group was formed, in which all major cycling countries were represented. “As expected, it was very fast and technical. It kept braking, adding. It was necessary to drive in front and at that crucial moment it didn’t work out for me. I stayed in the second group and it didn’t work anymore. We went for a while with a small loss, we saw them in front of us, but every strong country had someone there and no one could come together to make it up. he had legs? It wasn’t to win, ” Sagan told the cycling-info.sk portal.

Baška was stopped by a fall

Baska’s efforts were stopped by a fall and a subsequent delay: “I got involved in a fall on a big circuit. They hit me from behind, the road closed, the racers were all the way and it was impossible to cross. We lost a lot of time there. There were more than twenty of us left and even though we formed into a group and I was there with Pedersen or Ballerini. then came the great fall. ” Tybor did not reach the finish line either: “It was about driving forward today, but the closer to the finish, the more it was a pressure on performance and I lost my position. It was already stretching, there was a fall and I separated without a chance to return. the season was not much, and so it is today. “

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• Source: TASR