Stage 5 of the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Tour de France was a case of another day down and another in the yellow jersey for 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-QuickStep). After wearing the maillot jaune from Reims i🔜n the north to Coꦰlmar at the German border, two days in yellow makes him now the second-longest tenured Frenchman in the jersey since 2001.

He'll have some way to go to match Thomas Voeckler though, lying 18 days behind the now-retired ex-Direct Énergie rider. For now, the goal is to keep it as long as possible – Voeckler thinks Alaphilippe can do it and hang until Pay on stage 13. Reigning Tour champion 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Geraint Thomas (Tea🌄m Ineos) has said that he'll still be in the race lead after Wednesday's stage to La Planche des Belle Filles, at least.

That day, Wednesday, is the immediate obstacle. A travail through the Vosges mountains will see the peloton tackle three first-category climbs including the summit finish, plus two each in the second and third category. Endure that, and it looksꩲ likely that Alaphilippe can wear yellow until the res🌼t day in Albi.

Opinion is split about hiꦆs prospects on stage 6, but the man himself offered no opinion, aside from ackn♔owledging the tough task that lies ahead.

"I'm just so happy to keep the yellow jersey," said 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Alaphilippe after stage 5. "It was a nice day. It’s no secret that it will hurt more than usual. I will do everything to keep the 🎀jersey tomorrow."

The yellౠow jersey famously carries two features along with it. First of all, there's the 'power of the jersey', an unquantifiable force which has seen the likes of Voeckler hold on to the race lead for much longer than expected.

With Alaphilippe enjoying a phenomenal season so far – wins, from Strade Bianche to San Remo, the Dauphiné and more, have been acquired almost with ease – it's certainly hard to rule him out of drawing on all of his strength to hang with the GC riders. But the second feature of the jersey is one that only hinders him &ndash꧅; the tiring obligations that come along with it.

"Yes, I am a bit [tired],💖" Alaphilippe said in the post-stage press conference. "I'm used, since the beginning of the year, to have a lot of controls and interviews. During races, we try to make the most of every minute to✨ recover.

"It's not easy, but it's part of racꦑing. What I experience during the Tour de France made me respect riders like Froome and Grand Tour winners even more. Now I realise how much energy it takes outside of the race to be in the lead of the race."

After finishing, the race leader is obligat🐭ed to take to the podium, talk to television and radio reporters, undergo a doping control, and then give a press conference. It makes a long day even longer, but it comes with the jersey, and the experience of leading the race isn't one to give up just to enjoy a quieter post-race, Alaphilippe says.

"Even if it takes some energy, it's a wonderful experience. It's somethi🧸ng really difficult to describe, all the people cheering for me."

They'll be cheering for him once again on La Planche des Belle Filles, but we'll have to wait until he crosses the line on Wednesday to gauge just how far Alaphilippe can go.