Julian Alaphilippe wins Amgen Stage 3 and Takes Overall Lead
For the first time in the Amgen Tour of California, the pros will tackle Gibraltar Road. Santa Barbara County repaved the road last spring, replacing the terrible pavement that had been there for years. I have been up the 12 km climb many times. It is a tough climb, average 8% with a stretch of 10 to 13% near the end. However, the views of the Pacific Ocean eases the pain.Julian Alaphilippe of Etixx-Quick Step passed Peter Stetina (Trek - Segafredo) within the last 2 kilometers of the Gibraltar Road mountain top finish in the Queen Stage of the Amgen Tour of California. This is Alaphilippe’s second Amgen Queen Stage victory, He won last year on the climb up Mount Baldy. With this victory, Alaphilippe takes the overall lead of the Tour and is the third overall leader in as many days. Without a dominant team, or star cyclist, this year’s tour is a different race every day.
Evan Huffman (Rally Cycling) was in a breakaway group again today, with six other riders; Tanner Putt (UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team), Andy Tennant (Team Wiggins), Julian Arredondo (Trek – Segafredo), Oscar Clark (Holowesko – Citadel), and Greg Daniel and Krists Neilands (Axeon Hagens Berman). The peloton kept the breakaway group close during this stage so that the stage winner would have to stand out on the Gibraltar Road climb itself. The breakaway group stayed around three minutes.
As the riders rode through Montecito, just before the Gibraltar climb, the number breakaway riders began to drop. First, two riders faded, Evan Huffman and Oscar Clark, with 24km to go. Huffman had already captured three King of the Mountain prizes, which solidified his lead in the KOM competition. Andy Tennant faded away next. And Tanner Putt and Greg Daniel pulled away from Krists Neilands and Julian Arredondo on the Toro Canyon Road climb.
At the start of the 12 km climb of Gibraltar Road, Greg Daniel took the lead but was caught by Danilo Wyss of BMC Racing Team. Soon Daniel’s Axeon teammate, Neilson Powless, rode past Wyss to take the lead on the climb. Powless, the youngest rider in the Tour at 19, built a slim 30-second lead before he began to fade.Powless was caught just short of Flores Flats, which is just before the steepest part of the climb. Peter Stetina of Trek and Lachlan Morton (Jelly Belly) caught Powless at the only small descent of the climb, at Flores Flats. As the road began to tilt up again, to between 10 and 13%, Stetina created a gap to the other two and managed to create a small lead going into the last 2 kilometers. Alaphilippe attacked within the last 2 kilometers and caught up with Stetina while the grade was a steady 10% on the last 1.5 kilometers to the finish line. Alaphilippe then passed Stetina after the one-km banner and won the stage easily.
Peter Kennaugh (Team Sky), a pre-Tour favorite to win, crashed out of the race with a broken collarbone.
Stage Results
1. Julian Alaphilippe, Etixx – Quick-Step - 4:36:592. Peter Stetina, Trek – Segafredo -:15
3. George Bennett, Team Lotto NL – Jumbo -:25
4. Brent Bookwalter, BMC Racing Team -:27
5. Neilson Powless, Axeon – Hagens Berman - :30
6. Laurens Ten Dam, Team Giant – Alpecin - :33
7. Lachlan David Morton, Jelly Belly P/B Maxxis -:35
8. Rohan Dennis, BMC Racing Team - :48
9. Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez, BMC Racing Team - :48
10. Andrew Talansky, Cannondale Pro Cycling Team - :59
Overall Standings
1. Julian Alaphilippe, Etixx – Quick-Step - 12:49:472. Peter Stetina, Trek – Segafredo - :19
3. George Bennett, Team Lotto NL – JUMBO - :31
4. Brent Bookwalter, BMC Racing Team - :37
5. Neilson Powless, Axeon – Hagens Berman - :40
6. Laurens Ten Dam, Team Giant – Alpecin - :43
7. Lachlan David Morton, Jelly Belly P/B Maxxis - :45
8. Rohan Dennis, BMC Racing Team - :58
9. Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez, BMC Racing Team - :58
10. Haimar Zubledia Agirre, Trek – Segafredo - 1:09
11. Rob Britton, Rally Cycling - 1:09
12. Andrew Talansky, Cannondale Pro Cycling Team - 1:09
13. Lawson Craddock, Cannondale Pro Cycling Team - 1:12
14. Ruben Guerreiro, Axeon – Hagens Berman - 1:28
15. Jonathan Clarke, UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team - 1:30
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