Liège (Belgium) (AFP)
Nightmare for Julian Alaphilippe: Primoz Roglic won Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday, ahead of the new world champion who raised his arms too early, before being even downgraded due to a "wave" in the final explanation.
The Slovenian sprinted a group of favorites which broke away in La Roche-aux-Faucons, the last climb of La Doyenne.
The great defeat of the Tour de France blew victory to Julian Alaphilippe, for his first outing with the rainbow jersey, throwing his bike at the last moment.
Julian Alaphilippe, guilty of a gap in the last hectometers which forced the Swiss Marc Hirschi to take off his shoes, was finally demoted to fifth place by the jury of commissioners.
Hirschi, winner of the Flèche Wallonne in midweek and bronze medalist at the World Cup, third on the line, is finally second.
Tadej Pogacar, winner of the Tour de France two weeks ago, completes the podium.
What consolation for the great defeat of the Tour de France!
Primoz Roglic, lower than the ground two weeks ago when Tadej Pogacar dispossessed him of the yellow jersey in the time trial of the Great Loop on the eve of the finish, this time has the beautiful role.
The Slovenian champion signed a spectacular success for his first participation in Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
The world No. 1 in the UCI ranking has swung with a five-star quartet towards Liège after an attack by the new world champion Julian Alaphilippe 500 meters from the top of Roche-aux-Faucons (1,300 meters at 11%).
The winner of the Tour de France Tadej Pogacar and the bronze medalist in Imola completed this "all star" group which explained itself for the victory despite the return of another Slovenian, Matej Mohoric, fourth after the downgrade of Alaphilippe.
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