Alaphilippe tops field after gruelling Mount Baldy climb

French all-rounder Julian Alaphilippe claimed his first victory of the season with a powerful finishing kick up Mount Baldy to dislodge Peter Sagan from the Tour of California lead.

Alaphilippe, who turns 23 next month, sprinted away from the challengers with about four kilometres to go in the 128 kilometre (80 mile) seventh stage from Ontario to the Mount Baldy ski resort.

The Etixx-Quick-Step rider now has a two-second lead over Sagan in the overall classification following a courageous performance from the overnight leader from Slovakia.

Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo) crossed the finish line, 47 seconds adrift of Alaphilippe after starting the stage with a 45-second lead over the Frenchman.

Sagan had nothing left after his storming ride up the out of category switchback ascent, climbing off his bike and collapsing to the pavement at 1,964 metres. He finished sixth in the stage.

Pre-race favourite Sergio Henao finished runner-up, 23 seconds behind Alaphilippe in the stage with Sky team-mate Ian Boswell, Joe Dombrowski (Cannondale-Garmin) and Riccardo Zoidl (Trek) rounding out the top five.

"I ran out of gas in the last few kilometres," Dombrowski said.

Sunday's 105-kilometre eighth and final stage from downtown Los Angeles to the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena should end with another sprint finish.

This year's race comprises 13 host cities and eight stages run over a total distance of 1,165 kilometres.
Source: AFP