Team Deceuninck-Quick Step's French rider Julian Alaphilippe claims the yellow jersey at the Tour de France third stage from Belgium's Binche to France's Epernay, July 8, 2019. /VCG Photo
France's Julian Alaphilippe lived up to the hype as he snatched the Tour de France overall leader's yellow jersey by winning the third stage on Monday.
The 27-year-old rider of Team Deceuninck-Quick Step ended a five-year yellow jersey drought for France. The last Frenchman to wear the coveted tunic was Tony Gallopin on July 13, 2014.
The world number one jumped away from the pack in the Cote de Mutigny, a brutal 900-meter effort at an average gradient of 12.2 percent, to claim his third stage win in the race after a 215-kilometer ride from Belgium's Binche to France's Epernay.
Julian Alaphilippe rides toward the finish line during the Tour de France third stage from Belgium's Binche to France's Epernay, July 8, 2019. /VCG Photo
Alaphilippe, one of the pre-stage favorites, hung on for dear life over the remaining 16 kilometers to take the overall lead from Dutchman Mike Teunissen, who dropped out when the Frenchman attacked.
"It's sinking in slowly," an emotional Alaphilippe, who won the polka dot jersey for the mountains classification event last year, told reporters.
"I knew the finale (uphill finish) suited me but I didn't think I would be on my own so far from the line. It's always hard to deliver when you're the favorite."
Alaphilippe had a fantastic season, winning the Milan-San Remo "Monument" classic and the Strade Bianche in March, as well as the Fleche Wallonne in April. Wearing a yellow jersey makes his year perfect.
"It was crazy, I could hear people screaming my name in all the villages we went through," he said.
Riders climb the mountain during the Tour de France third stage from Belgium's Binche to France's Epernay, July 8, 2019. /VCG Photo
Among the general classification contenders, only France's Thibaut Pinot and Colombia's Egan Bernal finished in the first chasing group, 26 seconds behind Alaphilippe.
Defending champion Geraint Thomas ended up 31 seconds off the pace at the end of the lung-busting final uphill stretch.
"It was a very nervy stage. The goal was to be well positioned in the key moments and not be caught in a split. Mission accomplished," said Team Groupama–FDJ's French rider Thibaut Pinot.
Next:
Tuesday's Stage 4 is a long and flat route from Reims to Nancy which should end in a bunch sprint. The 213.5-kilometer ride features a small climb, but it's still far away from the end part of the race to be decisive.
Read more:
Tour de France: Teunissen wins opening stage, Thomas crashes at end
Tour de France Stage 2: Jumbo and Teunissen win team time-trial