Tour de France: Mas takes white jersey but will defend Alaphilippe's yellow

20 July 2019 01:13
A blessing or a curse? Fourth overall and decked out in the white jersey, Enric Mas couldn't have asked for much more from his debut Tour de France as it reaches the high mountains. However, his outlook on the race is refracted by the yellow jersey on the shoulders of his Deceuninck-QuickStep teammate, Julian Alaphilippe.  The 24-year-old Spaniard, who finished second at last year's Vuelta a Espana, rightly highlighted the "ideal" situation the Belgian team finds itself in after Friday's stage 13 time trial in Pau.  Alaphilippe not only defended his yellow jersey, but won the stage and extended his lead at the top of the overall standings, while Mas produced a strong ride – like at the Vuelta – to place ninth on the stage and jump two places on the GC, divesting Egan Bernal (Team Ineos) of the white jersey for best young rider. ADVERTISEMENT "The evaluation is a very good one. Julian did a really impressive time trial, and I did a good one for what we had in mind. We're happy," Mas told reporters in Pau. "Now we're in an ideal position to take on what's left of the Tour." Few can argue with holding the first and fourth positions, but it's not as simple as it sounds. Mas came into the race as Deceuninck-QuickStep's GC leader, but Alaphilippe has soared past anyone's expectations, to the extent that the whispers that he could challenge for the title have grown into full-on rumblings.  You can read more at Cyclingnews.com.read full article

Source: Cycling News