Julian Alaphilippe wins Stage 3, takes Tour of California lead
The 23-year-old French cyclist attacked inside the final mile of the grueling climb up Gibraltar Road on Tuesday, then powered all the way across the finish line — rather than sitting up to soak in the victory — to win Stage 3 of this year’s edition and assume the overall race lead.
Alaphilippe led the Tour of California after his victory on Mount Baldy on the penultimate day last year, but watched Peter Sagan beat him by three seconds, thanks to sprint bonuses on the final day.
The two jockeyed for position for a moment before Alaphilippe rode away from his American rival, who managed to regroup and cross the finish line in second.
Fans and riders alike had asked for the iconic Gibraltar Road climb near Santa Barbara to be included in the race for more than a decade, but road conditions had always prevented it.
The biggest feature of Stage 4, a lumpy 134-mile ride from Morro Bay, is the race’s first foray north on the Pacific Coast Highway.